Most of the time, the Detroit Pistons are only fighting for their first playoff berth since 2019.
But in the wake of Sunday’s fight with the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Pistons will be without Isaiah Stewart, Ron Holland II and Marcus Sasser for Wednesday’s road game against Oklahoma City. Stewart received a two-game suspension while the others were hit for one game without pay.
“When you play the way that we play, you earn a reputation, you’re going to get tested, and guys think that’s what they have to do,” said Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff, who also was ejected for Sunday’s second-quarter skirmish. “You regret obviously where all of it took place.
“I thought our guys stood their ground and defended each other, had each other’s backs,” Bickerstaff said. “Those are non-negotiables in our locker room.”
The Pistons might also be without point guard Cade Cunningham, though they have compiled a 3-1 record since he went down with a calf injury. He is listed as doubtful.
“They don’t want to let him down,” Bickerstaff said of the team’s reaction to being without Cunningham. “The belief is there. The confidence is there.
“He has earned so much of their respect in putting this team together. He leads in so many ways. He has captured so many of the guys’ spirits.”
Detroit was without Tobias Harris for the last two games with an Achilles injury. He is listed as probable.
Oklahoma City won the first meeting between the teams, 113-107, March 15 in Detroit. Cunningham was ejected in that game, leading Bickerstaff to say he was “disgusted” with the game’s officiating.
“We’re growing young players; our young players are competing their tail off,” Bickerstaff said after the earlier game against the Thunder. “The least that they would do is get the same respect that everybody else in this league gets and get refereed the same way that everybody else in this league gets reffed. Enough is enough.”
Oklahoma City, meanwhile, keeps rolling commotion-free. The Thunder (63-12) have won 10 consecutive games, their second-longest winning streak of the season, and are one win from tying the single-season franchise record set by the 1995-96 Seattle SuperSonics.
The Thunder are coming off a 145-117 blowout win over Chicago on Monday that clinched the NBA record for most wins against the opposite conference.
Oklahoma City stands 28-1 against Eastern Conference opponents this season, with its only loss coming Jan. 8 at Cleveland.
“It just shows that we put the same amount of preparation for any team, no matter East or West,” said Thunder guard Isaiah Joe. “We treat every game like it’s worth something. It shows.”
Joe matched his season high with 31 points in Monday’s win.
Over the eight games following that narrow March 15 win over Detroit, Joe has shot 53.2 percent from beyond the arc and averaged 4.1 3-pointers per game.
“He’s got a great approach and routine on his own and inside the team,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said. “He has unwavering confidence. … He finds his shots, he works on his shots, and he keeps doubling down and shooting them.”
–Field Level Media
