Copyright yardbarker
The Pistons ran into a wall on Monday, falling 116-95 to the Cavaliers and snapping their three-game winning streak. It was their first dud of the young season, but head coach J.B. Bickerstaff didn’t seem too rattled afterward. “They’re a good defensive team. We just had a rough night,” Bickerstaff said. “We turned the ball over 26 times. It’s hard moving your offense when you’re turning the basketball over. But it’s one night. We’ll be better.” Detroit’s offense never found rhythm. Cade Cunningham led the way but even he scored just 12 points and went 3-of-14 from the field. The Pistons shot 39 percent overall and trailed by double digits most of the way. Even so, Detroit’s culture has clearly shifted under Bickerstaff, who took over last season and led the team from NBA record-setting futility to the playoffs as a No. 6 seed. Team owner Tom Gores indicated he believes the organization is unified and hungry to build on that turnaround. “There’s alignment,” Gores said, via Keith Langlois of Pistons.com. “There’s tremendous alignment between the players and what they’re trying to accomplish, the coaching staff and J.B. Bickerstaff. We are fully aligned. “I’m sleeping much better at night knowing that. Nobody is laying low on what we did last year. Last year we came out with great urgency, a chip on our shoulder and we won. “It’s great, but we’ve got to come in with a bigger chip and great urgency.” The Pistons return home Wednesday to face the Magic, with Ausar Thompson listed as questionable due to illness, per Hunter Patterson of The Athletic.
