JB Bickerstaff Discusses Moving On From Recent Pistons' Brawl

The NBA is still cooling down from the fight between the Detroit Pistons and Charlotte Hornets. The punishments have been distributed, and multiple players are facing multi-game suspensions for their part in the brawl. 

Pistons’ coach JB Bickerstaff was recently asked about the fight and whether he needs to send a message to Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart about keeping their emotions in check. This was his response: “We need to move on from that…Our guys have done it all year long. They stay moment to moment and take advantage of the opportunity that is in front of them. Whether it has been injury or adversity when guys have been called upon they have stepped up. Think of guys like Daniss [Jenkins] and Paul Reed. Whenever they have been called upon, they have lived up to the moment and the team has supported them and helped them be successful. That’s how we move forward. We hold the fort down until our guys get back. We will miss those guys while they are out but the strength of our team has been our depth and we will contribute to use that as a weapon.”

Bickerstaff deflects the question about keeping his big men’s emotions in check. Instead, he pivots to talking about the next man up mentality that the Pistons have been embodying all season long. 

It’s possible that the suspension of Stewart and Duren becomes a positive for the Pistons. Their role players can get extra reps, Duren and Stewart can give their bodies a little bit of rest, and the Pistons can build depth for a playoff run.