Pistons Coach Reacts to Cade Cunningham's Performance vs Pacers

J.B. Bickerstaff shares his thoughts on the Pistons star's opening night performance.

Oct 16, 2024; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Pistons head coach J.B Bickerstaff yells instructions to his players during their preseason game against the Cleveland Cavaliers in the second quarter at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images / Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images

After long wait, the new-look Detroit Pistons finally got their first taste of regular season action under their belt. While they weren't able to walk away with a win, they put up a good fight and hung around to the very end. The Indiana Pacers managed to just barely outlast them, walking out with a 115-109 victory.

For the Pistons, the standout performer was Cade Cunningham. The young guard kicked off his fourth year in the league in a big way, posting a stat line of 28 points, five rebounds, and eight assists.

Heading into this season, Cunningham was a player many were keeping tabs on as a potential breakout candidate. he showed why on Wednesday night, doing a little bit of everything for the Pistons. Even though he wasn't able to lead his team to victory, this is a strong outing to begin the year for Detroit's cornerstone prospect.

Whatever Cunningham did during halftime worked for him in a big way, as the third quarter was where he did most of his damage. Playing almost the entire period, he recorded 18 points and two assists on near-perfect 8-for-9 shooting from the field.

After the game, Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff was asked about Cunningham's ability to step up in the third quarter. He praised him for his performance and continue to echo that he is one of the league's top young talents.

"That's who he is," Bickerstaff said. "He's one of the elite talents in our league. He has the ability to stay with it, get it going like he did tonight. That's what we're going to need from him all year."

For Bickerstaff, this was an opportunity to pick up his first win as head coach of the Pistons. He won't have to wait long for his next chance, as Cunningham and company will be back in action on Friday. The Pistons' next game should be especially important for Bickerstaff, as he'll be facing off against his former team in the Cleveland Cavaliers.