Pistons’ Three-Game Run Snapped by Cavaliers; Bickerstaff Downplays 116-95 Setback
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The Detroit Pistons stumbled on Monday night, falling 116-95 to the Cleveland Cavaliers at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse and ending their early three-game winning streak.
Head coach J.B. Bickerstaff said the off night does not alter the team’s outlook. “They’re a good defensive team. We just had a rough night,” Bickerstaff told reporters. “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 never found offensive rhythm, shooting 39 percent from the floor and trailing by double digits for most of the contest. Guard Cade Cunningham topped the scoring column with 12 points but hit only 3 of 14 attempts.
The defeat marked the first lopsided result of a season that began with promise. Bickerstaff, who took over last year and guided the club from a historically poor record to a No. 6 playoff seed, has emphasized culture change. Owner Tom Gores echoed that sentiment, saying the franchise is “fully aligned” behind Bickerstaff and the roster.
“There’s tremendous alignment between the players and what they’re trying to accomplish, the coaching staff and J.B. Bickerstaff,” Gores said. “Nobody is laying low on what we did last year. We’ve got to come in with a bigger chip and great urgency.”
Detroit returns to Little Caesars Arena on Wednesday to face the Orlando Magic. Rookie wing Ausar Thompson is listed as questionable because of illness, according to The Athletic’s Hunter Patterson.
Source: Hoops Wire
