Bickerstaff: Pistons’ season ‘not a disappointment at all’

DETROIT (AP) — The stunning turnaround season for the Detroit Pistons ended Sunday night with a harsh reminder of how difficult the final step can be.

After winning 60 games and earning the top seed in the Eastern Conference, the Pistons were overwhelmed at home by the Cleveland Cavaliers, who rolled to a 125-94 victory in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semifinals.

Detroit, which forced the deciding game with a road win Friday night, never found its footing offensively and struggled to match Cleveland’s physicality and pace from the opening tip. The Pistons shot just 35.3% from the floor, were outscored 58-34 in the paint and trailed by as many as 35 points in the second half.

“It sucked,” All-Star Cade 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.”

The abrupt ending came just two years after Detroit endured one of the worst seasons in NBA history. The Pistons 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.

Despite the lopsided defeat, Bickerstaff refused to call the ending a 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 repeatedly praised the growth and resilience of a roster that rapidly developed into a contender.

“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 moving 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.”

Cleveland controlled the game almost immediately.

The Cavaliers 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 before Cleveland buried any comeback hopes behind a dominant stretch from Donovan Mitchell, who scored 15 of his 26 points in the period.

Jarrett Allen and Sam Merrill each added 23 points for the Cavaliers, while Evan Mobley finished with 21 points and 12 rebounds as Cleveland 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.”

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