The Pistons Are No Longer A Surprise. They’re A Problem.

DETROIT — The crippled was over, but little than an hr aft nan Pistons’ 104–103 triumph complete Boston connected Monday, Cade Cunningham shuffled into nan postgame question and reply room looking for illustration a man still emotion it. The All-Star guard—nay, starting All-Star guard, arsenic nan NBA revealed earlier successful nan day—had played 40 grueling minutes, grinding retired possessions against Jaylen Brown, chasing nan Celtics’ three-point shooters, gathering its guards astatine nan rim. During 1 fourth-quarter break, a Detroit trainer pressed a basking battalion against Cunningham’s ribs. “A 48-minute battle,” Cunningham said. “Both teams really came pinch it.” 

The NBA play conscionable passed its midway point. But this crippled had a decided playoff vibe. It was nan 4th gathering betwixt nan apical 2 teams successful nan East, and immoderate friendliness has agelong gone. There were nary pregame handshakes. No precocious fives. No daps. Neemias Queta and Jalen Duren grappled earlier nan opening tip. Isaiah Stewart checked successful for Detroit pinch 5 minutes remaining successful nan first quarter. Within a minute, he and Brown were slapped pinch double techs for a shoving match. 

“Two really bully teams going against each other,” Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said. “And I thought nan physicality was met.”

Said Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff, “You tin show some teams really wanted it. They raised nan level of strength and they were battling. I deliberation it’s a awesome acquisition for our guys, and moreover amended to travel retired pinch a win.”

The Pistons did travel retired pinch a win, and you cognize what—they person done a lot of that this season. Detroit has 31 wins, trailing conscionable Oklahoma City. The triumph complete nan Celtics was nan Pistons’ 18th “clutch” victory, an NBA best. They crushed Boston successful points successful nan overgarment (48 to 32), ran distant pinch nan separator successful accelerated break points (20 to three) and held nan Celtics’ vaunted three-point shooting onslaught to 32%. 

“Anytime you get an opportunity to play 1 of nan amended teams successful nan league, it tests your metallic a small bit,” said Bickerstaff. “It’s really you sharpen your tools. So, I thought coming was a awesome opportunity for us.”

So overmuch of this team’s personality has been shaped by Bickerstaff, who 2 years aft being ousted aft a successful 4 ½-year stint successful Cleveland has reestablished himself arsenic 1 of nan apical coaches successful nan NBA. To hit you, nan Pistons beat you, sending waves of beingness defenders to grind opponents down. Brown scored 32 points connected Monday but needed 28 shots to do it, a ratio Detroit tin unrecorded with. 

“It’s executing a crippled plan,” Bickerstaff said. “And I thought that’s wherever for nan astir part, we did a beautiful coagulated job.”

It was a forgettable shooting nighttime for Cunningham (4 of 17, 16 points), but his crippled goes truthful acold beyond scoring. He collected 14 assists without a turnover. He added a brace of blocks and a steal. It was Cunningham’s 22nd double-double, 4th astir successful nan NBA. It was his 20th crippled pinch 10-plus assists, 2nd only to Nikola Jokić. Once, teams could flummox Cunningham, unit him into sloppy turnovers. Now, he dissects defenses for illustration a surgeon. 

“He understands each nan sounds and really teams are going to take sides him passim nan game,” Bickerstaff said. “[Boston] played successful different coverages coming and put different guys successful different matchups. I thought he did a awesome occupation of evaluating what was successful beforehand of him, putting his guys successful nan correct spots and making nan play to thief his teammates.”

Tobias Harris among them. Harris had a team-high 25 points connected Monday. He was 11of 20 from nan level and 3 of 8 from three. Detroit’s wealthiness of young talent is nan motor that has powered this Pistons surge. But it’s veterans for illustration Harris who unlocked it. Harris signed a two-year, $52.5 cardinal woody pinch Detroit successful 2024, and has been worthy each nickel. When Cunningham was asked astir what Harris has meant to nan franchise aft nan game, he paused and said to nan reporter, “How agelong do I have?” 

“The measurement that he carries himself, his professionalism, really he takes attraction of his body, goes astir his work, is an inspiration to each nan young guys,” Cunningham said. “We each spot that. And to spot nan occurrence that he’s had and really he continues to spell astatine it for illustration that is impressive. We’re each thankful for it.” 

Midway done nan play and nan connection nan Pistons person sent is unmistakable: All roads done nan Eastern Conference tally done Detroit. The Knicks are crumbling, nan Cavaliers are a messiness and nan Raptors, Sixers and Magic can’t beryllium considered reliable threats. The Pistons are now 3–1 against nan Celtics and while a Jayson Tatum return could alteration nan dynamic, Boston has nary reply for Detroit’s beingness beforehand line. 

Conventional contented says nan Pistons request much seasoning, that a squad 2 years removed from a 14-win disaster couldn’t perchance beryllium fresh for a tally to nan NBA Finals. Indeed, Detroit’s halfway is young. Inside nan Pistons’ locker room connected Monday, Duren carried astir an oversized speaker blaring rap euphony while Javonte Green hunted for a fewer slices of pizza. So galore of this team’s young stars—from Cunningham to Duren, Ausar Thompson to Ron Holland II—are truthful acold from their ceilings. The franchise has built a sustainable winner, 1 tin of contending for years to come. The early is agleam successful Detroit. That future, though, could beryllium here. 

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