J.B. Bickerstaff and the Detroit Pistons “embrace the chaos”

NEW YORK — In a must-win moment on the road, the Detroit Pistons pulled off a gritty 106-103 victory over the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday night. While Cade Cunningham’s late-game heroics and Ausar Thompson’s two-way dominance highlighted the box score, head coach J.B. Bickerstaff credited the team’s mindset for delivering under pressure.

“Our guys, as crazy as it sounds, they feed off of it,” Bickerstaff said postgame. “They feed off of the energy of the opponent’s crowd, talking s—, making noise, and they’re extremely comfortable. They embrace the chaos.”

The Pistons have now won four of five games at the Garden this season, including two playoff contests. Bickerstaff emphasized that this is not coincidental, but a reflection of how his group thrives when adversity peaks.

“Some people need the support of their home crowd,” Bickerstaff said. “Our guys embrace the chaos, and they’re extremely comfortable and can play their best.”

Cunningham tallied 24 points, eight rebounds, and eight assists — including two clutch free throws with just seconds remaining. Thompson poured in 22 points on 8-of-10 shooting and drew praise for his defensive performance on Jalen Brunson, who was held to 16 points on 4-for-16 from the field.

“It all started with Ausar and his defense,” Bickerstaff said. “He was phenomenal defensively tonight. Offensively too, coming up with 22 points, but I think it started with his defense, and I believe a lot of credit should be given to him.”

With the series returning to Detroit for Game 6, Bickerstaff expressed confidence in the Pistons’ ability to build on their road resilience and maintain intensity.

“This is a series about two highly competitive teams that are battling their tails off, trying to do whatever it takes to win,” he said. “The physicality, I believe, is a good thing for the game. It’s a good thing for us.”