The Detroit Pistons got a major boost Saturday night as shooting guard Jaden Ivey made his highly-anticipated regular season debut. He made a useful impact in his first game back, a 129-116 Pistons victory over the Milwaukee Bucks. This win marks the team's 12th straight for Detroit, adding to their 14-2 record as the current No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference.
Ivey returned from the bench and scored 10 points in 15 minutes. He was on a minutes restriction in his first game back and made a positive impression in his return to the Pistons.
Ivey spoke to the media during the postgame about how he felt to be back with his team for the first time since January.
“Just gratitude. Examining the last couple of months has been very humbling for me. This trial has been really good for me. And I think the word for it is grateful. I just cherished the moment to be back out there tonight,” Ivey explained. “Going into it, I was trying to get my mind wrapped around it since it's been so long. It took me a while to get used to warming up and going through the normal routine again. I had so much gratitude to be back out there again.”
2025 has been a long road of recovery for the Pistons' starting guard. Ivey hasn't been available for a regular-season game since breaking his fibula against the Orlando Magic last season. The health of Ivey also took another setback during the preseason as he felt discomfort with his knee after Detroit's matchup with the Memphis Grizzlies. He opted to have surgery to take care of the knee concern.
Head coach J.B. Bickerstaff had a plan to keep Ivey's workload small as he ramps back up in the rotation. However, his impact was clear in his limited time on the floor, especially on offense. Ivey knocked down a catch-and-shoot three, transition layups, a midrange step-back, and created some open looks for his teammates.
Ivey received some encouraging praise from his teammates like Cade Cunningham after having him back on the floor.
“It means a lot. Having the jersey on, playing, being on the court, it was like seeing him at home. And he looked good today. I thought he looked really comfortable out there. It didn't look like he missed as much time as he has,” Cunningham stated. “That's a credit to his work and how much time he has put into it. We're all super happy about having him back out there.”
Cunningham finished with a near triple-double, recording 29 points, 10 assists, and eight rebounds to help defeat the Bucks. Cunningham continues to make history becoming one of six players in league history (Michael Jordan, Oscar Robertson, Luka Doncic, Trae Young, Nate Archibald) to record six straight games of at least 25 points and 10 assists.
The Pistons also welcomed the return of veteran forward Tobias Harris back to the starting lineup. Harris picked up where he left off with 18 points on 7-of-9 shooting from the field and 3-of-5 shooting from 3-point range. Center Jalen Duren continued his impressive play, scoring 19 points in 27 minutes. Guard Duncan Robinson stayed in a positive shooting rhythm, connecting on five triples for 15 points.
