Detroit Pistons Back With NBA’s No. 1 Defense

While the Detroit Pistons revamped their squad during the offseason for a more perimeter-oriented attack, head coach J.B. Bickerstaff made sure that his team didn’t lose their edge, their teeth or their toughness. Through two years, those qualities have been the backbone of Pistons Basketball under Bickerstaff, and they’re still prominent targets for the 2026-27 version of the squad. 

Through six regular season games, the Pistons stand atop the Eastern Conference with a 5-1 record that includes a recent victory in the NBA Cup as well. In fact, the Pistons have held back-to-back opponents under 100 points and three of their six opponents have failed to reach that same 100-point threshold. 

By now, the Pistons have already faced the Boston Celtics, Miami Heat, Philadelphia 76ers and New York Knicks as their opening four-game slate, so Detroit has been getting the job done against a collection of teams that were summarily expected to be contenders for the Eastern Conference crown. But to make the Pistons’ defensive effort even more impressive, they’ve done so without Jalen Duren, who is still recovering from a strained right hamstring. 

Since Paul Reed has jumped into the starting lineup without JD, the Pistons have kept their focus on shutting down the opponent whenever possible. When Detroit traveled to Philly to face the 76ers just after Duren’s injury, the Pistons were able to hold Jaylen Brown to a 5-for-20 shooting performance just two games after frustrating his former teammate, Jayson Tatum to the tune of a 6-for-23 shooting performance in the season opener. 

With those shutdown defensive illustrations providing the context, the Pistons are already back on top of the league in terms of defending the bucket. Right now, Detroit ranks first in the NBA for defensive rating at 104.6, but that metric is reinforced by the fact that the Pistons have allowed the fewest points per game in the association (101.8) as well. 

During the summer, the Pistons traded Isaiah Stewart away to the Memphis Grizzlies in a move that inspired concern for the future of Detroit’s defense, but so far Detroit has shown up in a big way against a series of tough, high-scoring teams right off the jump. Of course, Beef Stew’s rim protection was a welcomed facet of his skill set in the Motor City, but he’s passed the baton to Ausar Thompson as the undisputed Minister of Defense in Motown nowadays. 

While Thompson often received a high dose of rightful credit for his perimeter defense, the Pistons as a whole have been sticking to their principles well. Detroit employs a system that requires a lot of switching and communication, which is a five-man effort, so the Pistons’ ability to stifle the opposing attack is far from a one-man accomplishment. 

Moving forward, the Pistons and their elite defense will face the Charlotte Hornets on the road on Monday, Nov. 2 at 7:30 pm.