J.B. Bickerstaff credits Pistons defense for ninth straight win
J.B. Bickerstaff credits Detroit Pistons defense for ninth straight win and comeback over 76ers, Nov. 14, 2025.
After missing two games with a right ankle sprain, Jalen Duren returned for the Detroit Pistons. He led the way as they extended their winning streak to 10 games.
Duren – who was not even 5 years old the last time the Pistons won 10 straight, back in January and February 2008 –tallied 31 points and 15 rebounds on 11-for-12 shooting to lead the Pistons to a 127-112 win over the Indiana Pacers on Monday, Nov. 17. The win moves them to 12-2, their best start since 2005-06 and a full two games clear of the Cleveland Cavaliers for the best record in the Eastern Conference. The Pistons will go for 11 straight wins on Tuesday with a visit to the Atlanta Hawks. The Pistons haven’t won 11 straight games since December 2007-January 2008, a season in which they finished 59-23 for the best record in the East.
It was also another big night for guard Daniss Jenkins, who scored a career-high 26 points and dished eight assists. Javonte Green (20 points), Duncan Robinson (12 points) and Isaiah Stewart (10 points, six rebounds and five blocks) also scored in double figures.
The Pistons were shorthanded once again, with Cade Cunningham (left hip contusion) missing his third straight game, Ausar Thompson (right ankle sprain) missing his fourth and Tobias Harris (right ankle sprain) missing his eighth. They also were without Bobi Klintman (left ankle sprain), who was added to the injury report Sunday.
The Pistons locked down the Pacers defensively, holding them to 32.5% shooting (13-for-40) in the first half and forcing 13 turnovers. Indiana found momentum at the end of the third quarter, though, using a 22-6 run to whittle the Pistons’ 21-point lead to eight, 99-91. Wing Benedict Mathurin scored 14 of their first 16 points in the fourth quarter to lead the run for the Pacers, the NBA Finals runners-up last season who fell to 1-13 this year.
A 14-4 Pistons run, capped with a tough left-handed finish at the rim by Duren, pushed their lead back to 18 with 5:43 to play. The Pistons led by double digits the rest of the way.
Jalen Duren overwhelms Pacers in return
A day before his 22nd birthday, Duren celebrated by putting on a show against the Pistons’ Central Division rival. In just 13 minutes before halftime, he scored 18 points (on 7-for-8 shooting) and grabbed nine rebounds while physically dominating the frontcourt and showcasing his improved jump shot.
He got going immediately, scoring six straight points early – a turning short jumper, a one-handed dunk in traffic and two free throws – as the Pistons opened a 9-8 lead. Duren then kicked off a 17-4 Pistons run in the second quarter that extended their lead to 21, finishing a putback dunk off of a missed layup attempt by Jenkins and sizing up Pacers center Jay Huff before knocking down a midrange jumper at the top of the key.
Duren’s next bucket was a highlight-reel one-handed alley-oop poster on Mathurin, drawing the foul and completing the three-point play to push their lead to double-digits, 35-25 at the 9:47 mark. With less than two minutes to play until halftime, he went coast-to-coast after grabbing a defensive rebound and knocked down a turning baseline jumper, extending the Pistons’ lead to 16, 58-42.
Javonte Green bringing shotmaking, defense off bench
The athletic veteran wing has played at least 16 minutes in all but two games this year, and has been among the Pistons who have risen to the moment with Cunningham nursing an injury. After setting a season-high with 21 points in Friday’s victory over the Philadelphia 76ers, he followed by crossing the 20-point threshold once again.
Green has been an effective two-way playmaker and has meshed with an energetic, defense-slanted second unit. He’s combined that with opportunistic scoring this past week. His most memorable bucket was his late cutting baseline dunk to clinch their overtime win over the Washington Wizards. Many of his points have been off of timely cuts and in transition, and he’s also knocked down a few 3-pointers.
Daniss Jenkins sets new career high after Player of the Week nomination
Jenkins was among the players nominated for Eastern Conference Player of the Week on Monday after averaging 20.3 points, 7.7 assists and 2.3 steals in the Pistons’ previous three games. His heroics were a key reason the Pistons won all three, as he knocked down two 3-pointers in the final 5 seconds of regulation Wednesday to force overtime, and hit a halfcourt shot to close the 3rd quarter on Friday.
Add Monday to Jenkins’ list of clutch performances. He scored 13 of his 26 points in the final period on 5-for-6 shooting, helping the Pistons build their lead back to blowout margins after the Pacers cut it to eight early in the fourth.
Six straight points, sandwiched by three blocks in one possession by Stewart, extended the Pistons’ lead to 14, 105-91, with just under eight minutes to play. And Jenkins’ 3-pointer with 3:53 remaining in the game pushed it to 17, 108-81.
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