On Friday night, Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff delivered another coaching masterpiece in Detroit’s 114-105 win over the Philadelphia 76ers in the group stage of the NBA Cup. Entering the game, the Pistons were still down a fleet of key contributors including Cade Cunningham and Jalen Duren, so Bickerstaff helped steer his squad through a chippy contest, one that required a brief comeback, to eventually come out on top with Detroit’s ninth consecutive victory.

“The character of our guys lends me to believe that they can do anything,” Bickerstaff said after the game. “The trust that they have in one another, they've just got a nastiness to them. That's the fun part about our group is they like it when it gets thick. They like it when it gets messy and it gets ugly. That's where they thrive. We like to take people there. We like to push people's buttons and see how they respond. Our guys have proven, which is a step for us this year, that we can control our emotions and control the chaos when we get to it. That's been beneficial for us in these wins.”

As Bickerstaff alluded to, the Pistons were physically imposing with the return of Isaiah Stewart after a three-game injury absence, and Detroit needed Beef Stew’s mean streak against Philadelphia. Stewart provided the Pistons with a burst of energy in the first half, and his 14-point, seven-rebound performance undersells the physical component that he lended to Detroit’s lineup.

Stewart was not alone, however, with his gritty effort against the Sixers. Checking in with 19 points and eight assists, Daniss Jenkins had an extended stretch of physical, back-and-forth jarring with Philadelphia guard Trese Maxey, and the two traded competitive barbs during a timeout as the teams walked to their respective benches. Eventually, the dust up blew over and Jenkins, who is from the same area of Dallas as Maxey, dismissed the exchange after the game as simply the outcome of two competitive players getting after it. 

Along with Jenkins scoring contribution, the Pistons benefited from a big night out of Javonte Green. Knocking down a trio of key three-pointers in the game, Green was responsible for 21 points and nine rebounds in the NBA Cup contest and was instrumental in Detroit taking back the momentum in the second half. All told, the Pistons had another complete team effort, one that underscores the ‘next man up’ mentality that Bickerstaff has imparted on his squad. 

“Experience and depth helps you get through an 82-game season,” Bickerstaff said. “If you can win games through injury, right, which is part of the NBA, gives you that boost. And when your group is back together, obviously, on the whole we’ve got to continue to play well and continue to play with the grit, the toughness, the defensive identity that we've been playing with so that we can continue to be successful in these games and then try to improve. Our aim is still to get better at all the small things that we work on.”

Daniss Jenkins Guides Pistons To NBA Cup Victory, 9 Straight Wins Overall For Detroit The Detroit Pistons are the hottest team in the NBA– with or without a full lineup

As part of the small things, Bickerstaff recognizes that his team excels at the fundamentals on defense, and that’s why the Pistons check in as a top-five team in the NBA from a defensive perspective. Bickerstaff pinpointed the team’s defensive tenacity as a game-changer for Detroit, especially since the Pistons held the Sixers to just 15 points in the fourth quarter. 

“Our ability to defend at an elite level when it matters most is impressive,” Bickerstaff said. “Our guys know that they can go there, sometimes I wish we do a little sooner, but they know they can get to a place where they put a stranglehold on people offensively. And again, that's what comes down to for us every night is how we defend. If we defend the way we're capable of, we'll give ourselves a chance to win in the fourth.”

READ MORE: Cade Cunningham Earns 'Superstar' Label From J.B. Bickerstaff

Standing in first place in the Eastern Conference at 11-2, the Pistons will have the weekend off before hosting the Indiana Pacers on Monday, Nov. 17 at 7:00 pm.

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