Rookie guard Ebuka Okorie drilled the game-winning layup in the dying seconds, sealing a 109-107 comeback for the Detroit Pistons Monday night against the Phoenix Suns. This wasn’t just *any* comeback, though. This was the team that finished last season as the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference with a whopping 60 wins, looking absolutely discombobulated through the entire first half of their first preseason game. Coach J.B. Bickerstaff was on a mission to establish an identity, but for the first 24 minutes, that identity was pure chaos.
Coach Bickerstaff’s Nightmare First Half: No Identity, All Chaos
From the 2:46 mark of the first quarter, it was painfully clear the Pistons were nowhere near Bickerstaff’s expectations. He wasn’t even focused on the final score for this preseason opener, but on building a foundation for the next several months. “Whether you’re new or old or been here or whatever, we have to find that understanding of what Pistons basketball is, and that’s what’s important to us,” Bickerstaff stated, emphasizing the importance of all four preseason games. He wanted to see what it felt like against “other people and not just beating the sh** out of each other.”
That understanding was nowhere to be found early on. When Suns guard Luke Kennard missed a three-point attempt, the Pistons didn’t box out. Instead, Jordan Goodwin cleaned it up with an inconsistent putback layup, adding two to Phoenix’s 10 second-chance points in the first quarter. Bickerstaff was fuming, storming the court to call a timeout. The first half was a mess, with Detroit trailing 68-50 by halftime. They were out-rebounded 27 to 18, gave up 22 points from the bench, and allowed 14 second-chance points. The only moment they showed *any* fire was when Collins and Suns forward Dillon Brooks got into a shoving match after an Isaiah Joe missed three. Collins grabbed an offensive rebound, Brooks grabbed him in an “annoying manner,” and Collins responded by grabbing Brooks by the throat. Collins ended up with a flagrant 1 foul, Brooks a technical. Not exactly the “identity” Bickerstaff had in mind.
The Pistons Find Their Fire, Even With the Stars on the Bench
Despite trailing by as many as 19 points, something clicked for the Pistons in the third quarter. Even with all their core players resting in the entire second half, the team finally started to play up to Bickerstaff’s desire. They went on a blistering 24-5 run and outscored the Suns 34-16 in that quarter alone. After entering the final period tied at 84, Detroit kept that momentum going, ultimately completing the comeback with Okorie’s clutch shot.
Ron Holland II led the Pistons with 14 points on 4-of-12 shooting, adding four rebounds, five steals, and two blocks. John Collins, Paul Reed, and Ausar Thompson each chipped in 10 points. Okorie, the game-winner, finished with seven points on efficient 3-of-4 shooting. Jalen Duren was the only player on the roster who was slowly being worked in, as expected.
The Pistons clearly still have work to do to forge that identity Coach Bickerstaff is chasing in these four preseason games, especially after a first half that would make any fan sweat. But seeing that second-half fight, and a rookie like Ebuka Okorie step up in the clutch, that’s got to give the Motor City faithful something to hang onto. The preseason journey to cement their identity is just beginning.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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