J.B. Bickerstaff 'Immensely Proud' of Pistons' Season Despite Playoff Loss to Knicks

The Detroit Pistons exceeded expectations after a historically bad season, reaching the playoffs and taking the New York Knicks to six games in the first round of the playoffs.

Even though a loss in Game 6 to end their season was disappointing, head coach J.B. Bickerstaff knows his team has plenty to be proud of.

"To watch them revitalize the fan base the way that they did, to go from where we were at the beginning of the year to where we were now, just from a fan standpoint and an engagement standpoint, you can't ask for anything more than that," Bickerstaff told reporters. "We're disappointed, we thought we had more to give, but I'm immensely proud of these guys for all the things that they've accomplished."

The Pistons had their worst season in franchise history a year ago, finishing 14-68 with what seemed like a long rebuild ahead of them. But bringing in a handful of key pieces like veteran Tobias Harris and sharpshooter Malik Beasley, coupled with outstanding development from young players, helped fast-forward the rebuild.

Detroit matched its win total from the 2023-24 season by December and ended up more than tripling its win total by the end of the year.

As much as Bickerstaff helped turn things around for the Pistons in his first year, the new job changed things for him as well. He came to Detroit after being fired from the Cleveland Cavaliers, and it's fair to say his future as a coach in the NBA relied heavily on his performance with the Pistons.

Now, it's clear he's here to stay.

"They gave me a renewed sense of purpose in this profession," Bickerstaff said. "And I can't be more thankful and more grateful to have been a part of this group."