The Detroit Pistons finished their brief Western Conference swing with a 2-1 record
If there is any team in the NBA that can be safely classified as ‘up for the challenge,’ it’s the Detroit Pistons.
Playing with limited rest on the second leg of a back-to-back against the Golden State Warriors on Friday night, the Pistons dug deep to fight fatigue for another high-scoring win that, once again, came down to the wire– in Detroit’s favor.
With a 131-124 victory in the Warriors’ building, the Pistons improved their no-rest record to 7-1 for the 2025-26 regular season, which says a lot about the team’s ability to bring their A-game on a nightly basis. That’s just what Cade Cunningham and Jalen Duren did, both posting key 20-point double-doubles against Golden State, and their performances were emblematic of Detroit’s overall ability to seamlessly turn the corner from day to day.
“That's who these guys have been,” Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff said after the win. “That's why we're in the position we're in. We don't look too far ahead, and then we don't hold on to things that are behind us. When you do that, you're able to maintain your emotional stability, and you can go out and compete and play at your best.”
Though the Pistons have not lost often this season, Detroit has learned not to dwell on their shortcomings. Instead, the Pistons worked to correct a key failure from their double-digit loss to the Phoenix Suns the night before facing the Warriors. In the first stage of the back-to-back, the Pistons shot just 21% from long-range, but Detroit found their rhythm from behind the arc against the Warriors with a 38% hit-rate from downtown.
Perimeter shooting has been a recurring issue for the Pistons this year, and it stands as one of the few areas that still could be refined before embarking on a deep, long-lasting playoff run. Duncan Robinson is the team’s most consistent three-point sniper, and he filled that role more than adequately against Golden State with five triples on the night (50% shooting). However, it is unrealistic to ask Robinson to carry the team from the perimeter on a nightly basis, and Detroit would benefit from having another talented shooter to help space the floor, thereby unclogging the lane for Cunningham in the process.
The Pistons have just under a week to decide if they’re going to pursue a trade for a prolific outside shooter, and a potential trade could serve multiple purposes for Detroit. Right now, Daniss Jenkins is quickly running out of games before his two-way contract must be converted in order to continue playing for the Pistons. But after the Golden State game, Bickerstaff confirmed that Daniss will continue to be an option for the team moving forward, so any deal that moves bodies away from the Detroit roster could create space for the talented second-year guard.
“He’ll be available, there’s no doubt about that,” Bickerstaff said. “Obviously, those are Trajan final decisions in how they work that out, but I think he’s earned a spot on this roster and he’s proved he can help us win. Him being out there allows us to have a ball handler out there and put Cade in different spots. His ability to defend multiple positions and make shots, so it’s a good fit and just adds to the versatility.”
Whether as a spot starter or providing relief off the bench, Jenkins has represented himself as a speedy ball handler who can hit an outside jumper and play reliably stingy defense. These qualities will be valuable for the Pistons down the stretch, and it sounds like the Detroit roster may be in store for a shakeup in order to make room for Jenkins long-term.
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