DETROIT — After briefly appearing to lose their way in back-to-back losses, the Detroit Pistons regained their identity Thursday night at Little Caesars Arena.
In a 115–106 win over the New York Knicks — a potential first-round playoff matchup — the Pistons showcased their trademark grit and relentless demeanor on both ends of the floor for all four quarters.
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For starters, they didn’t allow themselves to be dominated on the boards, an issue in recent losses to the Sacramento Kings and Memphis Grizzlies. Detroit narrowly won the rebounding battle, 35–34.
But where the team’s efforts truly shined was from the third quarter through the end of regulation. Trailing by as many as 13 points, Detroit closed the third with a 22–9 run and outscored New York 30–21 in the final period. They also won the battle in the paint, outscoring the Knicks 66–46.
“I mean, that’s Pistons basketball, right? I thought the past couple of games, in the first half, we’ve been in a position where we’ve been just trying to trade punches, but that’s not who we are. That’s not what makes us unique,” head coach J.B. Bickerstaff said after the game. “The second half, we played our style — it brought the fight to our type of fight. Defensively is where it always starts with us.
“If we think we’re going to go out there and just trade baskets, that’s not who we are. Everything we do starts with our willingness to compete on the defensive end of the floor, and that’s what makes us unique. We’re not like your typical NBA team. That’s not who we are, and we can’t afford to play that way. But if it comes down to grit and toughness and competition, I like our chances.”
The Pistons held the Knicks to just 35.4% shooting in the second half, while shooting a scorching 60% themselves.
Stewart makes his mark without scoring
One of the players who embodied Detroit’s tough-minded, blue-collar identity was reserve big man Isaiah Stewart. His defense on Knicks All-Star Karl-Anthony Towns was critical.
A quick glance at the box score might suggest Towns had his way — he finished with 25 points, 10 assists, and five rebounds. Stewart’s own stat line was modest: zero points, two rebounds and an assist.
But numbers don’t tell the full story. When guarded by Stewart, Towns shot just 2-of-7 from the field.
“Yeah, I mean, (Stewart) wears on you. I think he’s got a unique ability,” Bickerstaff said. “We always talk about the job that he does protecting the rim, and he’s elite at that — the best in the NBA, in my opinion. But what makes him unique defensively (is) he can guard anywhere on the floor. We switch him on anybody.
“So if they’ve got bigs that want to play on the perimeter, we feel like that’s an advantage Stew, and we’re confident in putting him on anybody.”
If Bickerstaff has shown anything this season, it’s that he has a feel for his players — and knows exactly when to push the right buttons to get them back on track.
As impressive as Thursday’s comeback was, the Pistons will need to sustain that same effort if they hope to make any noise in a seven-game playoff series.
Harris provides timely boost in return
Hours before tipoff, Bickerstaff referred to Tobias Harris as one of his “safety blankets” — a player he can rely on to steady the team when things get chaotic.
Harris validated those remarks in his return to the court after missing the last three games with a right heel injury. He finished with 17 points on 56% shooting and added a much-needed boost to Detroit’s offense.
“Tobias is huge for us and has been all year. You look at all the numbers, and they tell you just how important he is to us,” Bickerstaff said. “Sometimes it’s not the things that just pop out, but it’s all the little things that make you win basketball games — especially close ones.
“And I’ve said it before: he just understands the moment, what the possession needs, and what the game needs, and he makes everybody feel comfortable. And then, obviously, he has the ability to go and get it too, so you can throw him the ball when you need a bucket — he can go get you a bucket as well.”
Harris knocked down three 3-pointers, one of which helped erase New York’s double-digit lead and tie the game at 85 heading into the fourth.
He also drilled a turnaround jumper with 3:18 remaining to give the Pistons a 105–99 lead. A pair of free throws from Harris down the stretch helped Detroit seal the win.
