Bickerstaff says – The Detroit Pistons’ remarkable turnaround season ended with a 125-94 blowout loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semifinals. Despite struggling offensively and falling behind early, coach J.B. Bickerstaff insisted the result is
DETROIT — The Detroit Pistons’ stunning turnaround season ended Sunday night with a harsh reminder of how difficult the final step can be.
After winning 60 games and finishing as the top seed in the Eastern Conference. Detroit was overmatched at home by the Cleveland Cavaliers. who rolled to a 125-94 victory in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semifinals.. The Pistons had forced the deciding game with a road win Friday night. but once Sunday arrived they never found offensive rhythm.
Detroit shot 35.3 per cent from the floor. were outscored 58-34 in the paint. and trailed by as many as 35 points in the second half.. All-Star Cade Cunningham didn’t hide the frustration.. “It sucked,” Cunningham said.. “Being back home, definitely wanted to get this win for the fans.. Reminded me of last year, losing on the home court.. It’s not a great feeling.
“So I hadn’t been thinking about the offseason, so my mind’s been racing now, trying to figure out what I got to do, what it’s going to look like.”
For Detroit, the magnitude of the defeat landed hard because of how improbable the season had been.. The Pistons had finished 14-68 during the 2023-24 season and set an NBA single-season record with 28 consecutive losses before emerging this year as one of the league’s biggest surprises under coach J.B.. Bickerstaff.
Even with the lopsided ending, Bickerstaff pushed back against the idea that the run ended in disappointment.. “It’s not a disappointment at all,” Bickerstaff said.. “Not ever will I be disappointed in these guys.. These guys every single day give us what they got.. So it is not a disappointment.. It’s a loss, and it’s a tough loss.. But that adjective will never be used.”
Bickerstaff instead returned to the work the team has put in, repeatedly highlighting growth and resilience.. “This team is awesome, and they’re a special group of guys,” he said.. “I couldn’t be more appreciative of how they allow us to coach them, work with them every single day.. The spirit they carry, their willingness to grow, their willingness to sacrifice.. It’s a special group.”
Ausar Thompson said the loss will fuel the Pistons as they move forward. “We have to get better as a team, but I’m focused on what I can do to not be in this situation again,” Thompson said. “It sucks, but you can’t take it back. We already lost.”
The Cavaliers took control quickly and never allowed Detroit to settle.. Cleveland turned Detroit’s cold shooting into transition opportunities while building a 31-22 lead after one quarter.. After the Pistons scored the first two baskets of the second. Cleveland answered with a 24-9 run to take command and carried a 64-47 advantage into halftime.
Detroit pulled within 17 in the third quarter, but Cleveland’s momentum swung back decisively.. Behind Donovan Mitchell, the Cavaliers buried any comeback hopes, with Mitchell scoring 15 of his 26 points in the period.. Jarrett Allen and Sam Merrill each added 23 points for Cleveland. while Evan Mobley finished with 21 points and 12 rebounds as the Cavaliers advanced to the Eastern Conference finals for the first time since 2018.
“They had X-factor guys that had the ability to contribute,” Bickerstaff said.. “We knew it was going to be a tough series and a tough test for us. but just like we did last year. we’ll learn from it.. We’ll put it in our pocket. we’ll get better from it. and next year we’ll grow and be a better team.”
The storyline on Sunday followed a familiar internal logic: Detroit forced a deciding Game 7 with a Friday road win. yet at home it managed just 35.3 per cent shooting and got outscored 58-34 in the paint. which matched the Cavaliers’ early build into a 31-22 first-quarter lead and a 64-47 halftime advantage.
Detroit Pistons Cleveland Cavaliers Game 7 Eastern Conference semifinals Cade Cunningham J.B. Bickerstaff Donovan Mitchell Jarrett Allen Sam Merrill Evan Mobley Ausar Thompson