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Adjusting has been quite challenging for the Detroit Pistons since losing their rising guard, Jaden Ivey, this season.
Coach J.B. Bickerstaff addressed what the absence of Ivey has meant to the team after a miserable loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers. Detroit's head coach was asked about the lack of another creator, and he emphasized Ivey's importance and how the team has had to adapt without him.
“We miss J.I., there's no doubt about it. He's extremely important to us and what we do and how we got to where we are now,” Bickerstaff stated during his postgame media session after the 110-91 blowout. “We've got other guys we believe in that are capable of stepping up and making plays for us. Tonight was just a rough night; give them credit.”
The Pistons have gone 8-5 as a team since Ivey's gruesome leg injury against the Orlando Magic. Despite the success, Detroit's play style on the court has seen a significant change without their third-year guard.
Opponents have focused more attention on double-teaming point guard Cade Cunningham, and the Pistons have struggled to consistently generate open looks when Cunningham sits. After a solid stretch of cutting down his turnovers, Cunningham is back at the top of the league, averaging the most in the league since losing his starting backcourt mate. The Pistons have had to lean more on their starting point guard with the inability to stagger both guards with the bench.
Ivey was putting up career-high scoring numbers before his injury, averaging 17.6 points per game on 46% shooting from the field and 41% from 3. His much-improved production with elite-level speed offered a helpful dynamic that offered beneficial space for Detroit's offense. Ivey's improved defense also costs the Pistons an extra wing defender when facing elite guard duos like Cleveland.
Pistons come up short in another physical battle
Detroit stepped into Monday's road matchup against one of the best defensive teams in the NBA. The Cavaliers played aggressively all game challenging the majority of the Pistons shots. Cleveland also benefited from a useful whistle that helped them go 18-of-23 from the free-throw line. Detroit only attempted eleven free throws and knocked down seven of those attempts.
The Pistons have been visibly frustrated with officiating over the past couple of games of this road trip. Referees charged Detroit five technical fouls and two flagrant fouls in their previous contest against the Orlando Magic. Bickerstaff was ejected by the officials after arguing a controversial no-call late in the fourth quarter. He opened up about the team's blowout loss and the effort his team played with against Cleveland.
“I don't think it was an energy thing. I think we got frustrated in some moments and that impacted the way that we played the game,” Bickerstaff explained. “These are great opportunities for us to learn and how do we figure it out in these moments and environments. Our guys have been good typically in these situations. Tonight was a tough one for us, but we'll learn from it and bounce back.”
Cunningham had a rough night, scoring 22 points on 9-of-26 shooting from the field. Shooting guard Malik Beasley continued his hot shooting, putting up 19 points and hitting 5-of-8 triples against Cleveland. Center Jalen Duren provided good energy for the Pistons, scoring 12 points and grabbing 16 rebounds, including seven on the offensive end.
