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By Jacob Richman, Tribune News Service

The Detroit Pistons and Cleveland Cavaliers had two thrilling matchups over the past week, splitting the results and offering a sneak peak of what could be a matchup in this year’s playoffs.

The home team won each game as the Pistons were victorious in overtime at Little Caesars Arena on Friday before the Cavaliers survived a late comeback from Detroit at Rocket Arena.

Both matchups have featured intense play, but off the court the Cavaliers drew some attention as cleveland.com reported an anonymous Cleveland player said after Friday’s game that the Pistons “aren’t in our class.”

The words caught some attention on social media after the game and before Tuesday’s matchup, coach J.B. Bickerstaff was asked for his response.

The second-year Pistons coach didn’t need many words to react.

“I have no response,” Bickerstaff said. “If you mean it, don’t say it anonymously.”

It’s no surprise that a playoff caliber team like Cleveland — or Detroit for that matter — would have plenty of confidence in their ability to compete.

The Pistons (45-15) firmly believe the Eastern Conference runs through them right now as they’ve held tight to the top spot since early November. But the Cavaliers (39-24) have now backed up some of their words by winning the rematch with a returning James Harden.

To suggest the two teams are separated by a considerable margin is hard to give much credence, given they split the regular-season series 2-2 and the past two games have come down to the very end.

There are no more regular-season meeting for the Central Division foes, so if there’s going to be more to this saga, it’s going to come in the playoffs.

With the Pistons holding the No. 1 seed and Cleveland currently the No. 4, a second-round playoff matchup would be in the cards if the first round went chalk.

It’s hard to think of a better way to decide which team is a class above than a playoff series.

©2026 Advance Local Media LLC. Visit mlive.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Cade Cunningham had 29 points and 11 assists, Tobias Harris scored 23 points and the NBA-leading Detroit Pistons beat the Orlando Magic 106-92 on Sunday night for their sixth straight road victory.

The Pistons improved to 45-14, winning for the eighth time in nine games. They have won 10 of 11 on the road and are 21-7 overall away from home.

Jalen Duren added 16 points and 10 rebounds for Detroit.

Paolo Banchero led Orlando with 24 points and 11 rebounds, but also had nine turnovers. Tristan da Silva added 19 points and Desmond Bane had 17, but the Magic shot 30.7% in the second half and experienced a third-quarter collapse for the second time in three nights. They squandered a 19-point lead in less than four minutes in a loss to Houston on Friday night.

After missing their first 15 3-point attempts, the Pistons were down 57-50 at halftime. They moved ahead for the first time on a 3-pointer by Harris midway through the third quarter, and took command with an 11-0 run.

Detroit forward Isaiah Stewart served the final game of a seven-game suspension for an altercation at Charlotte on Feb. 9. Magic guard Anthony Black missed a game for the first time this season, sitting out with a strained right quad.

Up next

Pistons: At Cleveland on Tuesday night.

Magic: Host Washington on Tuesday night.

— By DICK SCANLON, Associated Press

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CHICAGO (AP) — Jalen Duren had 26 points and 13 rebounds in his return from a suspension to help the Detroit Pistons take charge in the second half and roll to a 126-110 victory over the Chicago Bulls on Saturday night.

Cade Cunningham added 18 points, 13 assists and nine rebounds to narrowly miss his 15th career triple-double as the Pistons won their fifth straight game. Tobias Harris also had 18 points and Duncan Robinson added 17 for league-leading Detroit (42-13), which dealt Chicago its season-high eighth straight loss.

Duren helped establish Detroit’s dominance after sitting out two games for his role in a fight at Charlotte on Feb. 9. He got a technical foul in this one for casually dropping the ball on the face of Chicago’s Nick Richards in the third quarter while Richards was down on the floor.

Josh Giddey had 27 points on 10 for 16 shooting — including five 3-pointers — but the Bulls couldn’t keep pace with the Pistons after trailing only 53-50 at the half. Matas Buzelis, Jalen Smith and Issac Okoro each added 15 as the Bulls committed 23 turnovers leading to 28 Detroit points.

Detroit outmuscled Chicago, scoring 68 points in the paint, compared to the Bulls 38. The Pistons had 26 on second chances and Chicago just 16.

The Bulls played without Jaden Ivey, who will be out two weeks with knee soreness after playing just four games with Chicago following a trade from Detroit. Anfernee Simons left the game with a left wrist injury

Bulls coach Billy Donovan was back on the bench after missing a game to attend his father’s funeral.

The Pistons led by no more than six points in a tight, scrappy first half. Detroit outscored Chicago 44-26 in third quarter and opened the lead to as much as 28.

Up next

Pistons: Host San Antonio on Monday

Bulls: Host New York Knicks on Sunday.

— By MATT CARLSON, Associated Press

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By Jacob Richman, Tribune News Service

DETROIT — The Detroit Pistons are different than most modern NBA teams. They’re just fine with that.

It’s only Year 2 with coach J.B. Bickerstaff and president of basketball operations Trajan Langdon leading the franchise ahead, but their rapid rise to success is undeniable.

They took a team in the dregs of the league and made the playoffs in their first year and have held the top spot in the Eastern Conference since early November.

Their culture is unmistakable, focused on team accountability and an imposing defensive effort that has stifled some of the best players in the NBA this season.

So when they had a modest NBA trade deadline that involved one deal — trading Jaden Ivey to the Chicago Bulls to bring in Kevin Huerter — it didn’t look exactly like a potential finals contender going all-out for a championship.

That’s not how the Pistons believe they get to the peak of the NBA or build a team that can compete for years to come.

“It wasn’t just, for us, let’s take a shot for one year and have that impact us going forward. Philosophically that didn’t fit,” Langdon said during a press conference on Friday. “If there was a move we could make, a carry-forward move that not only helped us this year, but we could carry that thing forward. That’s kind of what we were looking for.”

The Pistons were linked to countless players at the deadline as a team with multiple expiring contracts to salary match almost any player potentially coming in for the short term and all of their first-round draft capital for the next seven years.

On paper, the Pistons could use another high-level scorer to work with star Cade Cunningham or an elite three-point shooter to help spark the offense.

Instead they potentially boosted their first-rounder in 2026 with a pick swap as part of the Ivey deal and added a rotation player in Huerter, whose gravity could help open things up on the court.

Huerter’s a decent threat from deep as a career 37% shooter, joining the NBA’s 19th-ranked three-point shooting team. His numbers dipped this season without a true playmaker beside him in Chicago, but there’s still potential for the 27-year-old to be impactful.

The moves that looked good on their face — like trying to add a player like the Brooklyn Nets’ Michael Porter Jr. — to building the prototypical finals competitor didn’t seem to interest the Pistons all that much.

“I think there’s different ways to skin a cat,” Langdon said. “And I think we’ve been doing it different, doing it on the defensive end and really getting after it. And I think we’ll continue to do that.”

Even though the last seven NBA champions have been from different teams, the Pistons don’t truly match any of them.

Their defense is top of mind, leading the NBA in steals, blocks and, yes, personal fouls with their unrelenting physical play.

It’s leading to an unusual level of success. Since 2000, only two teams — the Indiana Pacers in 2023-24 and Utah Jazz four times in the 2000s — have led the NBA in fouls per game and finished with a record above .500.

No team in NBA history has had a winning percentage over 70% while leading the league in fouls. The Pistons own a 38-13 (74.5%) record coming off a lopsided win over the New York Knicks on Friday.

Their defensive focus and energy is the heartbeat of the team and what they have confidence will make them unique for years to come.

“Not everybody has to do it the same way,” Bickerstaff said Tuesday. “I think that’s where our league has come to a point where everybody’s just trying to follow one example and do things just one way because it’s easier, right? It’s easier to justify.

“They do it and it works, so (others) can do it. But it’s not a matter of that for us. We’re confident in the group of guys that we have that, no matter what situation you put them in, they’re going to be competitive and give themselves an opportunity. ”

Offensively, Bickerstaff understands the analytics behind being a high-volume three-point shooting team. Four of the last five NBA champions were in the top 10 for three-point attempts per game and the Pistons are currently 28th.

But when it comes down to winning games, his approach remains keyed in on being consistent in finding layups, dunks, paint attempts and mid-range shots because if they shoot them well enough, it’s more valuable to match with Detroit’s brand of defense that limits possessions.

“We’re not going to panic and try to be somebody else because that’s just not the way we’re built,” Bickerstaff said.

Langdon said there were some deals out there at the deadline that did tempt him, but between other teams pulling out and the Pistons’ staff saying “now’s not the right time for that” they didn’t get particularly close to doing any other business.

The Pistons are keen on continuing to develop their young group helmed by Cunningham, All-Star center Jalen Duren and rising defensive star Ausar Thompson. Langdon plans to use the end of the season and however deep Detroit can go in the playoffs as a jumping off point after getting another season of data and experience with this group.

Cunningham is the only player on the team locked up long term and contract negotiations are coming up soon for Duren and Thompson.

The Pistons are starting to see what that trio can accomplish and they could be the core of Detroit’s future. That path forward meant the Pistons’ front office would be frugal with their commitments in the short term and leads to them going at this year’s playoffs with something of a by-committee approach to a lot of their offense.

“Sometimes it will be difficult. Sometimes we’ll have to be creative. I think what’s been good for our team is different people step up every night,” Langdon said. “Cade, obviously, has been consistent. (Duren) has taken a step. We have to have other guys be aggressive and step up at different times. We’ll have to be creative in the way we play. But I think our identity has always been defense and we can’t stop doing that.”

Detroit’s unwavering confidence in being defense first has them 4.5 games ahead of the closest team in the Eastern Conference and a real threat to reach its first NBA Finals since 2005.

For them, it wasn’t the time to introduce a heavy-hitter at the trade deadline.

The Pistons want to dig in and let the players who have bought into their distinctive style and put them in this prime position to get the opportunity to show just how far they can take it this season.

©2026 Advance Local Media LLC. Visit mlive.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

By Coty M. Davis, Tribune News Service

SAN FRANCISCO — For six years, Detroit Pistons fans have grown accustomed to watching Isaiah Stewart serve as an enforcer and defensive anchor. In the first 46 games of this season, Stewart has elevated his production on defense even more.

He is leading the league’s second-best defense and is currently in the running for several defensive awards. While registering a career-best average of 1.9 blocks per game, Stewart ranks sixth in total rejections with 78. He leads the NBA in defended field-goal percentage at the rim, holding his opponents to 43.0% shooting.

Stewart will be honored with a bobblehead giveaway before the Pistons’ home game against the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday. But the bobblehead won’t feature Stewart defending the rim. Instead, it’s Stewart riding a tractor and dressed in farmer’s overalls.

“This bobblehead represents my love and passion for farming. I have a tractor that I operate and use on my land,” Stewart told The Detroit News. “I’m interested in all different kinds of crops. If my mind isn’t on basketball, my mind is on farming. I am always researching something about farming every single day. I feel like it’s my calling.”

In southern California, Stewart owns two agricultural properties called Paraiso De La Luz, which is Spanish for “Paradise of Light.” His main hub focuses on producing tropical and subtropical fruits such as figs, finger limes, grapes, kumquats, mangos, passion fruit and pomegranates. Two hours down the road, he owns a desert hub that solely produces dates, in partnership with Sam Cobb Farms.

During the offseason, Stewart works diligently on his crops. When the Pistons are in season, however, he relies on his employees and the property manager for daily updates.

“It speaks to his character, his intelligence. He’s a guy who wants to make the world better. He understands what the world needs, in terms of farming and the environment. I think it is amazing,” Jalen Duren said to The Detroit News. “He’s always coming in here, talking about the new cows he’s got, or whatever new trees he planted. I think what he’s doing is great. I’m inspired.”

Stewart’s passion for farming began at his childhood home in Rochester, N.Y. He has fond memories of watching his father, Dela Stewart, tending to the family’s backyard garden. His father grew a variety of vegetables, including cucumbers, greens and tomatoes. Stewart’s favorite part of watching his father was seeing him transform his work into delightful meals.

The hard work that the elder Stewart put into the family garden instilled a strong work ethic in his son, which ultimately helped him reach the NBA. However, he could never have predicted that his efforts would later inspire his son to pursue farming as a second career more than 20 years later.

“He had a garden in our backyard. Every year, as soon as the weather got good enough, he would go back there and clean it up. Uproot everything. Make a fence with sections of different plants,” Stewart said. “I know he is proud of what I am doing. With him being from Jamaica, and his father did it – that is who he got it from – and now, I’m doing it.”

Stewart’s upbringing and passion have laid the groundwork for his farming career as he strives to be a pioneer in the industry.

Black farmers once dominated the agricultural business, but over several decades, the demographic has significantly diminished. As he continues to inspire a generation of NBA hopefuls in Detroit, Stewart hopes his agricultural work will increase the number of Black farmers nationwide.

Stewart intends to sell his harvest in grocery stores one day to provide consumers with high-quality produce. It’s his way of bringing better fruits and vegetables to consumers, who might be missing out because of infrastructure problems some farmers face when trying to deliver their crops to supermarkets.

“My family loves it. They see how invested I am in it and how much I care about it,” Stewart said. “They know what I’m striving to be. I am not doing this for fun. I’m doing it because I want to be one of the best farmers in the world when it is all said and done.”

©2026 The Detroit News. Visit detroitnews.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

DETROIT (AP) — Kevin Durant scored 32 points as the Houston Rockets ended the Detroit Pistons’ four-game winning streak with a 111-104 victory Friday night.

Durant averages 30.6 points in 32 career games against the Pistons – his highest average against any other team. He added seven rebounds and three assists in 40 minutes without a turnover.

Alperen Sengun scored 19 points and Reed Shepherd added 18 points for the Rockets, who have won four of five. Amen Thompson had 15 points, nine rebounds and seven assists for Houston, which had lost five straight on the road.

Jalen Duren led Detroit with 18 points and seven rebounds, but Detroit’s other four starters combined for 37 points on 13-of-35 shooting (37.1%).

Houston outscored Detroit 34-20 in the third quarter to turn a tie game into an 86-72 lead. Durant and Sheppard combined for 18 points in the quarter on 7-for-8 shooting.

Detroit got within 87-80 with a four-point possession early in the fourth. Cade Cunningham missed, but Jae’Sean Tate was called for a flagrant foul when he undercut Ron Holland II as he went for the rebound. Holland made both free throws and Duren dunked off a Cunningham lob.

After a Rockets turnover, Isaiah Stewart’s three-point play made it 87-83, but the Pistons couldn’t get even.

Josh Okogie’s 3-pointer made it 101-93 with 5:19, and Houston moved the lead back to double figures on Shepherd’s layup with 2:04 left.

Durant had 18 points in the first half, but the Pistons had a 36-24 edge in points in the paint to keep the game tied at 52 going into the third quarter.

Houston’s defense stepped up early in the third quarter, holding Cunningham and Duncan Robinson to two shot attempts in the first eight minutes. The Rockets outshot Detroit 68.4% (13-19) to 36.4% (8—22) in the period.

Up next

Rockets: Host the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday night.

Pistons: Host the Sacramento Kings on Sunday afternoon.

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LOS ANGELES — The Detroit Pistons have had a successful start to their five-game West Coast road trip. They are currently 2-1 following Friday’s 131-129 loss to the Utah Jazz.

The Pistons held an 11-point lead with six minutes left in the second quarter. At the time, they appeared to be on the verge of a blowout inside Delta Center; however, the Jazz picked up their production on both ends in the second half, outscoring Detroit 64-61. The Jazz dominated the third quarter by scoring 44 points.

“We were not aggressive coming out of the half at halftime, and I think that was unacceptable for us,” Ron Holland II said. “We know what kind of team we are trying to be. We had two days off and had a team conversation, knowing we are trying to make that huge step this year. We were just being lackadaisical on defense.”

The Pistons’ second-half performance against the Jazz illustrates a recurring issue that has affected the team’s play over the past week. They have built a handful of double-digit leads but have watched as the opposing team rallies in several comeback attempts.

The Pistons have established themselves as championship contenders through 31 games. They are still in first place in the Eastern Conference with a 24-7 record, boasting the league’s second-best defense and eighth-best offense. Over the past three games, however, the Pistons’ second-half play has become a detriment.

Detroit has posted an offensive rating of 109.6, ranking 21st in the league, while averaging 57.0 points during the second half. On defense, the Pistons have been far from the prominent defensive team they established themselves to be since the start of their resurgence. They have a defensive rating of 119.5, ranking 19th in the league, and have allowed opponents to score 61.3 points per game over the final 24 minutes.

“I give our guys a ton of credit for being where we are now, but also understanding that we are not a finished product,” coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. “We have been able to carry things through and make things work out for us, but we are still aiming to put together 48-minute games.”

Bickerstaff continued, “That is going to be the maturation of this team. We have to get 48 minutes of Pistons’ basketball. There have been times when we have played 42 minutes, or whatever it might be, but we are still aiming to put together complete games.”

If it weren’t for Jalen Duren and Ausar Thompson keeping the Pistons afloat after Cade Cunningham’s premature exit due to foul trouble, Detroit’s West Coast swing would have started poorly.

Although the Pistons secured a 110-102 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers at Moda Center, they almost squandered a 21-point lead. Despite winning, the Pistons expressed dissatisfaction after the game. Learning and maturing are the only two intangibles that have become a silver lining amid the Pistons’ subpar play in the second half, as they continue to improve as they inch closer to the halfway point of the season.

“We have a lot of young guys who have never been in this position before, and it just takes time,” Bickerstaff said. “But, that is why we are so committed to the process and not just the results. It’s an 82-game season, and we are still trying to be our best at the end of the year, and this is great for us. It shows that we have room to improve. We have to take the opportunity.”

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PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Jalen Duren had 26 points and 10 rebounds as the Detroit Pistons held off the Portland Trail Blazers 110-102 on Monday night after blowing a 21-point lead.

Ausar Thompson added 18 points and 12 rebounds for the Eastern Conference-leading Pistons (23-6). Duncan Robinson scored 15 and Cade Cunningham had 14 before fouling out early in the fourth quarter.

Shaedon Sharpe led the Trail Blazers (12-17) with 25 points on 11-of-21 shooting but also committed eight turnovers. Deni Avdija added 18 points, nine assists and eight rebounds.

Donovan Clingan had 17 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks for Portland. Sidy Cissoko scored 16 off the bench.

After trailing by 21 late in the third quarter, Portland was still down nine when Cunningham fouled out with 8:32 remaining. But the Blazers outscored the Pistons 12-2 over the next 4:20 to take a one-point lead. Detroit then closed with an 11-2 run to put away the game.

BOSTON (AP) — Indiana Pacers coach Rick Carlisle will be stepping down as president of the National Basketball Coaches Association at the end of the month and Detroit coach J.B. Bickerstaff will replace him.

“I guess now might be a good time to announce, I decided about a year ago that this would be my last year,” Carlisle said Monday night before the Pacers played in Boston. “This is my 20th year. My term will end at the end of this month. We’ve held our elections and the membership has made a tremendous and phenomenal choice to succeed me and that’s going to be J.B. Bickerstaff.”

The 66-year-old Carlisle is one win from the 1,000th of his coaching career. He spoke very highly of his soon-to-be replacement.

“J.B. is not only a trusted friend of mine and many, many coaches, he’s proven to be a great leader,” Carlisle said. ”He’s had to take over difficult situations in his career: interim coaching positions etc., etc.

“The job he did in Cleveland, taking that team from the lottery to winning in the playoffs was phenomenal. The job he’s done in Detroit the last year and a half speaks for itself. He’s a great leader and passionate guy for coaches.”

Bickerstaff, 46, started his coaching career with Charlotte as an assistant in 2004. He was an associate head coach with Memphis until becoming interim head coach on Nov. 27, 2017. He became the Grizzlies’ head coach on May 1, 2018.

In February 2020, he was promoted to Cleveland’s head coach after John Beilein resigned.

Bickerstaff was hired as Pistons coach on July 3, 2024.

“I congratulate J.B.,” Carlisle said. “This will be a life-changing experience for him. It has been for me.”

Bickerstaff’s father, Bernie, 81, was a longtime NBA coach before moving into front office roles. Carlisle said he’d like to see Bernie have his place in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

“We’re behind the scenes working trying to help Bernie be recognized by the Hall of Fame as a contributor,” Carlisle said. “There are so many ways that he influenced the game.”

— By KEN POWTAK, Associated Press

DALLAS (AP) — Cooper Flagg had 23 points and 10 rebounds, Anthony Davis added 15 points and the Dallas Mavericks recovered to beat the Detroit Pistons 116-114 in overtime Thursday night after blowing an 18-point third-quarter lead.

Flagg, who will turn 19 on Sunday, is averaging 25.4 points over his last eight games. The Mavericks (11-18) have won six of their last eight.

Cade Cunningham had 29 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists for his third triple-double this season for the East-leading Pistons (21-6), who have gone 6-4 following a 15-2 start. Jalen Duren had 17 points and 13 rebounds.

Davis’ alley-oop from Flagg put Dallas ahead 114-112 with 3:10 left in overtime. After Cunningham’s bank shot tied it with 1:49 remaining, Davis’ dunk with 1:32 accounted for the final points.

Cunningham’s floater with seven seconds left missed, leaving him 2 for 7 in overtime. Duren grabbed the rebound, missed a shot beneath the basket, and Davis grabbed the rebound with 0.9 seconds left.

The Pistons played without two starters much of the night. Ausar Thompson was ejected late in the first half after disputing a foul and making contact with official John Goble, and Duncan Robinson left after injuring a knee early in the third period.

Cunningham received a technical foul in the final minute of the first half, and Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff got one as thee were leaving the court at halftime.

Davis, who missed Dallas’ previous game with a left calf contusion, shot 7 for 18 from the floor after missing his first eight shots.

Detroit outscored Dallas 30-15 on second-chance points with 25 offensive rebounds. But the Pistons shot a season-worst 18.2% on 3-pointers (6 for 33).

Before the game, Mavericks coach Jason Kidd said there’s still no schedule for the return of nine-time All-Star Kyrie Irving following ACL surgery last March. “In another month, we’ll give you an update,” Kidd said.

Up next

Pistons: Host Charlotte on Saturday.

Mavericks: Visit Philadelphia on Saturday.

DETROIT — Each time Cade Cunningham steps onto the floor, his talents put him up against the best defenders the league has to offer. On a nightly basis, Cunningham focuses on maintaining his All-NBA status against numerous defenders, but he is “thankful” that he doesn’t have to account for Isaiah Stewart.

Cunningham has been teammates with Stewart since the Detroit Pistons drafted him as the No. 1 pick in 2021. Over the years, he has watched as Stewart established himself as one of the league’s premier defenders.

This season, Stewart’s defensive production has been a central part of the Pistons’ best start in 20 years. With a 19-5 record, Detroit ranks fourth in the league in defense, posting a net rating of 111.3 while holding opponents to 113.3 points per game. The Pistons’ defensive success has been a collaborative effort, but no player has been at the forefront of the team’s defense than Stewart.

“He has always been big-time. I played against him in high school, and he was always a presence down there,” Cunningham said. “We have put Stew in so many positions and made him have to figure it out, and he always does. His feel for the game and IQ are super slept on. He just knows where to be and when to be there. That’s why he can make so many plays.”

Stewart is an elite defender, demonstrating the versatility necessary for today’s NBA. He is a big man who can switch on ball and defend guards out on the perimeter, while his hustle and activity help the Pistons get stops through deflections and 50-50 balls.

He has shown every attribute that has led his teammates to campaign for Defensive Player of the Year honors. In November, Stewart was a finalist for Eastern Conference Defensive Player of the Month — an award that went to the Toronto Raptors’ Scottie Barnes.

However, no defensive skill set has been displayed more prominently than Stewart’s ability to protect the rim. His shot-blocking has led coach J.B. Bickerstaff to deem Stewart as “the best defensive center in the league.”

“It means a lot because he sees it every single day,” Stewart said. “He knows how much I care about defense and how I have a real passion for that side of the ball. He knows that and he appreciates that, and that means a lot to me.”

Not on ‘Beef Stew’

Stewart had a career year on the defensive end last season. He registered a career-high 1.4 blocks per game and led all reserves in the category while ranking 11th league-wide. However, 24 games into this season, Stewart is on the trajectory to surpass last year’s success.

He is currently tied with Alex Sarr for third in the league for blocked shots, averaging 2.0 rejections per game — trailing only Victor Wembanyama (3.6) and Ryan Kalkbrenner (2.4). Stewart has stood out among his peers for his shot-blocking, erasing numerous dunk attempts.

“How much he cares about it. There will never be a shot that goes up that Stew doesn’t contest,” Ausar Thompson said. “So, for him to sacrifice his body, put his body on the line every night — it’s beautiful to watch.”

Stewart, a 6-foot-8 big man, has acknowledged that his stature makes him an easy target for players seeking a quick highlight dunk, but he often wins his one-on-one battles at the rim.

“I feel like some players seek it out, while others get there and then don’t know what to do,” Stewart said. “Then they would usually pass the ball, which helps us out on defense.”

Stewart has rejected a dozen dunk attempts this season, resembling the likes of Ben Wallace during his heyday in Detroit. In the Pistons’ 122-116 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday, Stewart blocked two dunk attempts, one of which was against Shaedon Sharpe, who has established himself as one of the league’s most gifted dunkers.

The moment occurred midway through the fourth quarter when Sharpe attempted a one-handed dunk over Stewart, who blocked it with the tips of his fingers. The rejected accounted for one of the four blocks Stewart had on the night, marking the fourth time this season he finished a game with four or more rejections.

“He has the best timing in the league. No one time dunks and layups better than he does,” Cunningham said. “It is honestly kind of scary. It is almost like he has finger tips made of vibranium … I think he is the best defensive player in the league.”

Stewart’s rim protection is a testament to his fearlessness of ending up on the wrong side of the highlight, but it is also an example of his ability to apply the lessons he learned throughout his six-year career. There was a time when Stewart found himself on the wrong end of a poster. Instead of shying away from the moment, Stewart used those experiences to learn how to find his timing and patience.

However, his shot-blocking also demonstrates Bickerstaff’s system. By orchestrating a defensive scheme to get the most out of his players, Bickerstaff quickly realized that Stewart had the intangibles to serve as Detroit’s most reliable defensive anchor.

“We put a lot of responsibility on them. They have to communicate with everybody, and their job is to protect the rim and the paint,” Bickerstaff said. “If you put guys who have the talent that these big guys have in those positions, it gives them opportunities to be playmakers, and it gives them the opportunities to dictate how games go.”

Stewart had a seamless transition when adapting to Bickerstaff’s technique last year. He felt Bickerstaff’s philosophies played to his strengths, which demand physicality, rebounding, rim protection and screen setting.

He has since catapulted up the list as one of the NBA’s best defenders, with the potential to receive some form of league recognition come mid-May.

“He is the most versatile center as a defender in the league. There is not a guy out on the perimeter or the post that he cannot guard,” Bickerstaff said. “He means so much to us because he is the guy who has to erase things, cover up things, and he takes on so many assignments. There are so many things that we ask him to do. I am hard-pressed to find a better defensive center than him in the league.”

DETROIT (AP) — Cade Cunningham had 23 points and 12 assists and the Detroit Pistons beat Milwaukee 124-112 on Saturday night to end the Bucks’ 15-game winning streak in Detroit.

Milwaukee came into the season with a 13-game winning streak against the Pistons, but Detroit has won two of three this season.

Jalen Duren had 16 points and 16 rebounds for Detroit, which has won four of five to improve to 19-5, with the only loss coming on Wednesday night in Milwaukee. Isaiah Stewart added 19 points.

Kevin Porter Jr. had a season-high 32 points for the Bucks, who have lost 10 of 12. Kyle Kuzma added 15 points.

Detroit shot 57.1% (20-35) from the floor in the first half, including 50% (7-14) on 3-pointers, but only built a 61-56 lead thanks to 13 turnovers that led to 20 Milwaukee points. Cunningham had 15 points and eight assists while Porter scored 19 on 7-8 shooting.

The Pistons started the third quarter with a 13-3 run to take a 74-59 lead, and Milwaukee was still down by 10 going into the fourth.

The Bucks never threatened in the fourth, trailing by 25 when both teams started emptying the benches. Pistons guard Marcus Sasser made his season debut, having missed the first 23 games with a hip injury.

Up next

Bucks: Host Boston on Thursday night.

Pistons: Host Atlanta on Friday night.

DETROIT (AP) — Cade Cunningham had 13 of his 29 points in the fourth quarter and the Detroit Pistons rallied to beat the Portland Trail Blazers 122-116 on Friday night.

Cunningham also had three assists in the quarter and finished

with nine. Jalen Duren added 18 points and eight rebounds.

Detroit allowed 22 points off turnovers. The Pistons averaged only 15.0 points off turnovers in their 15-2 start, but have been over 20 in seven straight games while going 4-3.

Deni Avdjia had 35 points for Portland. Jeremi Grant had 29, and Shaedon Sharpe 28 — and the rest of the team had 24.

Detroit took a 112-110 lead on Cunningham’s steal and layup with 2:22 to play, and Duncan Robinson scored five points in the next two possessions to make it a seven-point game.

Avdija had 29 points in the first three quarters, helping Portland to an 85-84 lead. The Pistons scored 65 in the first half, but only got 19 points in the third.