As the Boston Celtics (43-21) continue to gain momentum following the return of Jayson Tatum, the pressure at the top of the Eastern Conference standings is beginning to shift.

The Detroit Pistons (45-18) have held the conference’s top spot for months, but their cushion is shrinking.

Detroit’s recent four-game losing streak has trimmed its lead over Boston to just 2.5 games, creating the possibility of a tight race down the stretch as the Celtics gradually return to full strength.

For Pistons head coach J. B. Bickerstaff, however, the focus remains squarely on his own team.

Following Detroit’s 121-110 loss to the Heat (36-29) on Sunday, Bickerstaff was asked about Boston’s recent surge and the possibility of the Celtics closing the gap in the standings.

His response was straightforward.

“It’s the NBA, right?” said Bickerstaff. “You look at the season, it’s long. Everybody goes through difficult times or a little bit of a rut. We just found ours right now. And again, we’ve got plenty of time left to do what we’ve got to do.”

When the Celtics were mentioned specifically, Bickerstaff made it clear that Detroit’s attention is not drifting toward the standings race.

“Boston is obviously a good team, but we’re not concerned about Boston,” said Bickerstaff. “Our biggest concern is making sure that we’re doing what we need to do to go out and be as good as we possibly can. We’ve got plenty of time to figure it out, and we will.”

The comments inevitably drew attention - particularly in Boston - because of the timing.

The Celtics appear to be finding their rhythm just as Tatum works his way back into the lineup after missing 62 games with an Achilles tear. In the early stages of his return, Boston has already looked far closer to the version of the team that spent much of the past few seasons among the NBA’s elite contenders.

In his second game back, Tatum scored 20 points in just under 28 minutes as Boston defeated the Cavaliers (39-25) 109-98 at Rocket Arena. The Celtics dominated the middle portion of the game, turning an early deficit into a comfortable win with a suffocating defensive stretch and strong contributions from their bench.

Jaylen Brown led Boston with 23 points while flirting with a triple-double, and Payton Pritchard added 18 points and 7 assists off the bench. The performance reinforced how dangerous Boston can look when its star forward is back in the lineup and role players are pushed into more natural roles.

That development is exactly what has kept Boston within striking distance of Detroit despite Tatum’s lengthy absence.

For much of the season, the Pistons have set the pace in the East. Detroit built its lead behind consistent play on both ends of the floor and has remained atop the standings since early November. Even amid the current skid, the Pistons still hold the conference’s best record at 45-18.

Bickerstaff’s message, therefore, reflects the reality of Detroit’s position.

While outside attention may focus on Boston’s rise, the Pistons remain in control of the standings - and their priorities are internal.

Detroit will try to halt its slide on Tuesday against the Brooklyn Nets (16-47). The Nets have struggled this season, but upset the Pistons in their most recent meeting, adding another layer of urgency to the matchup.

Boston, meanwhile, faces a more difficult stretch.

The Celtics continue a challenging road trip Tuesday against the San Antonio Spurs (47-17) before another marquee test Thursday against the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder (50-15).

Those games should offer a clearer picture of how quickly Boston is regaining form with Tatum back on the floor.

And if the Celtics keep winning, Detroit may eventually have to think a little more about the team Bickerstaff says the Pistons aren’t concerned about - at least for now.

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Tom Carroll is a contributor for Roundtable, with boots-on-the-ground coverage of all things Boston sports. He's a senior digital content producer for WEEI.com, and a native of Lincoln, RI.