J.B. Bickerstaff entered his postgame press conference with visible frustration over the closing moments, though he remained encouraged by his team’s overall performance.
The Detroit Pistons head coach spent Saturday evening watching his squad battle back against the Cleveland Cavaliers, only for three costly turnovers and a series of defensive lapses during the final minutes to turn Game 3 into a 116-109 loss at Rocket Arena.
Despite Detroit still leading the Eastern Conference semifinal series 2-1, Bickerstaff made it clear afterward that a winnable game had slipped away.
“Our defense is so stingy if we get you in the half court,” Bickerstaff said. “So we just got to make sure we get shots on goal so that we can set our defense and make people have to work through it.”
The Pistons finished with 16 turnovers, which Cleveland converted into 27 points. The most damaging mistakes occurred in the final three minutes, including a steal by Max Strus near midcourt that led to the go-ahead layup.
Cade Cunningham posted 27 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists, but also recorded eight turnovers. Bickerstaff acknowledged Cleveland’s increased ball pressure late in the game while stressing shared responsibility.
“They picked up their pressure obviously,” Bickerstaff said. “But again, that’s too many turnovers for us as a group. Sixteen is too many.”
After a sluggish first half offensively, Detroit found its rhythm following halftime. Bickerstaff believed the process remained solid throughout, even when shots weren’t dropping.
“I think the first half we got great looks,” Bickerstaff said. “We got open shots that just didn’t fall for us. We continued to do that in the second half. And the shots started to fall for us.”
The Pistons nearly turned the game around during a strong third-quarter run, fueled by defensive energy and offensive rebounding. Detroit grabbed 17 offensive rebounds overall, continuing one of its biggest postseason strengths.
“We do a great job attacking the glass on both ends,” Bickerstaff said. “That’s what we want to do to help us win those possessions.”
The coach repeatedly pointed to Detroit’s defensive spacing issues when explaining how Cleveland created clearer driving lanes late in the contest.
“They started to attack switches more, and then their guys went to more of their iso game,” Bickerstaff said. “We just got to do a better job being in position to help one another.”
Bickerstaff added that defenders stayed too close to Cleveland shooters rather than shrinking the floor.
“We were just a little hugged up to our man too much because of their ability to shoot,” Bickerstaff said. “And we just didn’t do a better job of being in tighter.”
One bright spot was reserve forward Paul Reed, who scored 11 points in 10 minutes and provided energy during the comeback push. Bickerstaff explained why Reed earned extended trust while Isaiah Stewart was removed from the second-half rotation.
“I just thought at that moment what we needed is what P Reed provides,” Bickerstaff said. “He provides that spark, that instant impact to make plays, whether it’s defensively or offensively.”
Bickerstaff also praised Reed’s ability to shift momentum when Detroit needed a lift.
“When you’re down he’s a guy you can go to that can raise the energy,” Bickerstaff said. “I thought he did a great job of that again tonight.”
Even after the loss, the Pistons coach expressed confidence that Detroit can respond in Game 4. He believes the third-quarter comeback run gave the team useful adjustments for the future.
“Oh for sure,” Bickerstaff said when asked whether the Pistons can build on that stretch. “I thought we did a lot of good things to get back in the game, especially with our defense, forcing some more turnovers and those types of things.”
Game 4 is set for Monday night in Cleveland, where the Cavaliers will aim to even the series while the Pistons look to regain control before heading back to Detroit.
