Pistons’ Youth-Powered 17-5 Start Lifts Detroit to the Top of the East
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DETROIT – Two seasons after posting the longest losing streak in NBA history, the Detroit Pistons own the Eastern Conference’s best record at 17-5, fueled by a nucleus that has yet to turn 25 and guided by first-year coach J.B. Bickerstaff.
The rapid turnaround centers on guard Cade Cunningham, forwards Jaden Ivey and Ausar Thompson, and big men Isaiah Stewart and Jalen Duren. Detroit reached its 17th victory on Dec. 1; a year ago the club did not claim win No. 17 until Jan. 1 and finished 2024-25 at 27-55. The season before that, the Pistons went 14-68 and dropped 28 consecutive games.
Locker-room constants amid sweeping change
Stewart, drafted 16th overall in 2020 by then-general manager Troy Weaver, endured a 74-244 record in his first four years but remained untouchable in trade talks. “I was here in the trenches, setting the culture when nobody cared about Detroit,” the 6-8 center told ESPN.
The organization’s patience is paying off. Stewart now comes off the bench, holds opponents to 44 percent at the rim on five attempts a night—tied for the league’s stingiest mark—and blocks 1.9 shots per game (2.9 per 36 minutes). He is also shooting 40.9 percent from three, allowing Detroit to pair him with Duren without sacrificing spacing.
Duren’s leap under Bickerstaff
Duren, selected in 2022, averages 11.5 rebounds in 29 minutes, second in the East behind New York’s Karl-Anthony Towns. Bickerstaff spent two weeks working with the 22-year-old over the summer, challenging him to broaden his offensive game beyond the pick-and-roll. “People had me pegged as a lob threat, but I’ve got a lot more,” Duren said.
Lineups featuring Duren and Stewart now outscore opponents by 11.5 points per 100 possessions, a swing from minus-3.5 two seasons ago. When Cunningham joins them, the margin remains a sturdy plus-10.1.
Cunningham closing games
Detroit is 12-4 in clutch situations—games within five points in the final five minutes or in overtime—while holding opponents to 33.7 percent shooting, best in the league. Cunningham scores 9.5 points in fourth quarters, trailing only Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo.
“Time and time again, he does the job when we need him most,” Bickerstaff said after the 2025 No. 1 pick hit consecutive late jumpers in a 99-98 victory over Atlanta on Dec. 1.
Front-office restraint
General manager Trajan Langdon, who replaced Weaver in 2024, resisted overtures for Detroit’s young talent and bought out coach Monty Williams before hiring Bickerstaff. Langdon said he prefers to “let it breathe” rather than rush into a major trade, though Detroit holds a $14.1 million trade exception ahead of the Feb. 5 deadline.
Extension talks with Duren and Ivey were postponed in October, positioning the center for a potential deal comparable to Houston’s Alperen Şengün (five years, $185 million) next summer.
Next checkpoints
The Pistons embark on a nine-game Western trip through Christmas, then play only once outside Detroit over a 20-day January stretch—two sequences Langdon will use to gauge whether roster reinforcements are necessary.
For now, the 13-game winning streak that opened November and the league’s third-ranked defense mark a clear break from last season’s turbulence. “I have to set the tone defensively,” Stewart said after consecutive losses to Boston and Orlando in late November, a declaration he backed up with five blocks against Atlanta three nights later.
With youth, depth and newfound poise in close games, Detroit Basketball has returned to the Eastern Conference spotlight.
Source: ESPN
