“There’s going to be some very dangerous situations out there for everybody,” coach J.B. Bickerstaff said.
“There’s going to be some very dangerous situations out there for everybody,” coach J.B. Bickerstaff said.
Houston — Coach J.B. Bickerstaff made history on Friday night when the Detroit Pistons defeated the Houston Rockets with a 115-111 win at Toyota Center. The victory gave him his 300th win as a head coach, making him the 78th coach in league history to reach the milestone.
The accomplishment also represented a significant personal accomplishment for Bickerstaff. He and his father, Bernie Bickerstaff, became the first father-son coaching duo in NBA history to reach 300 wins. Bickerstaff credits his father for laying the foundation of his 10-year coaching career, which goes beyond the X’s and O’s of basketball.
“One of the things that I’ve admired about him is that he just told people the truth, no matter who they are or how hard it was going to be,” Bickerstaff said. “He was able to have those conversations to work out whatever the issue might have been.”
Bernie began his coaching career with the Seattle SuperSonics during the 1985-86 season. He went on to coach 15 years in the league, registering 419 career wins.
Bickerstaff joined his father’s staff as an assistant coach with the then-Charlotte Bobcats from 2004-07. Whether watching his father as a child or working alongside his dad, Bickerstaff has held on to his father’s teachings throughout his career. Bernie’s teachings to Bickerstaff were evident during the Pistons’ road victory against the Rockets.
“He was just truthful with everybody,” Bickerstaff said. “And then, the way he treated people, from the best player, the trainers, the ball boys, he treated everyone with respect, class, and dignity. And that is what I try my best to do also.”
With so much transpiring throughout the game, the Pistons relied on several role players whose responsibilities vary throughout the season, but none more than Paul Reed.
Since joining the Pistons in July 2024, Bickerstaff has encouraged Reed to adopt a stay-ready mindset, given the inconsistent role he expected for the veteran forward in his rotation. The conversations Bickerstaff has had with Reed led him to play a prominent role in the Pistons’ win over the Rockets.
Following the losses of Jalen Duren (ejection) and Isaiah Stewart (fouled out), Reed registered 13 points, nine rebounds, and two blocks in 19 minutes; however, his biggest moment came in the final seconds of the fourth quarter when Reed provided a critical block on Rockets’ All-Star Alperen Sengun, which prevented Houston from tying the game.
“Even before the season started, we knew nights like this were going to happen; there was going to be a lot of chaos, and that was our theme of the year,” Reed said. “He (Bickerstaff) did a great job of preparing us for these moments. So, shout out to coach J.B. Bickerstaff.”
Celtics (0-2) at Pistons (1-1)
▶ Tipoff: 3:30 p.m. Sunday, Little Caesars Arena, Detroit
▶ TV/radio: FDSN/97.1
▶ Pistons injuries: Jaden Ivey (right knee arthroscopy; out), Marcus Sasser (right hip impingement; doubtful), Caris LeVert (left hamstring tightness; questionable)
▶ Projected lineups: Pistons — guards Cade Cunningham, Duncan Robinson; forwards Ausar Thompson, Tobias Harris; center Jalen Duren. Celtics — guards Derrick White, Payton Pritchard; forwards Jaylen Brown, Sam Hauser; center Neemias Queta.
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