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Pistons, J.B. Bickerstaff name big offensive weakness that Cavaliers exploited
TL;DR
The Pistons' head coach J.B. Bickerstaff highlighted a significant offensive weakness that the Cavaliers exploited during the NBA Playoffs. The team's ball movement, which was effective in the regular season, has declined in the playoffs.
Key points
- Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff identified offensive weaknesses
- Cavaliers exploited these weaknesses in the playoffs
- Pistons averaged 27.8 assists per game in the regular season
Cleveland CavaliersDetroit PistonsJalen DurenCade Cunningham
Pistons, J.B. Bickerstaff name big offensive weakness that Cavaliers exploited originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
One team will come out with the commanding 3-2 NBA Playoffs victory between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Detroit Pistons. Clearly, Coach J.B. Bickerstaff wants his squad led by Jalen Duren and Cade Cunningham to be the ones who come out on top. Before any of that happens, they have a certain huge issue that needs patching up. The Pistons head coach named what it was before Game 5.
Bickerstaff takes issue with Pistons' offensive ball movement vs. Cavaliers
The Pistons pride themselves as a team that makes the ball go around. Throughout the 2025-26 regular season, Cade Cunningham and Daniss Jenkins made sure to rotate the ball properly so that other Pistons would be in great positions to score. They averaged 27.8 assists per game using this philosophy but it has fallen quite a bit in the NBA Playoffs.
In their Game 4 loss, the Pistons were only able to notch 23 assists and equaled the totals of the Cavaliers which usually play a heliocentric brand of basketball. not the most pleased with the outcome and their ball movement. The Pistons coach made it known before Game 5, via Hunter Patterson of
Q&A
What offensive weakness did J.B. Bickerstaff identify for the Pistons?
J.B. Bickerstaff pointed out that the Pistons' ball movement has significantly declined in the NBA Playoffs compared to the regular season.
How did the Pistons perform in terms of assists during the regular season?
The Pistons averaged 27.8 assists per game during the 2025-26 regular season, showcasing their effective ball movement.
Who are the key players for the Pistons mentioned by Bickerstaff?
Key players for the Pistons mentioned by Bickerstaff include Jalen Duren and Cade Cunningham.