Pistons Announce J.B. Bickerstaff Contract Decision After Playoff Win Over Magic
The Detroit Pistons finished the regular season as the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference and had plenty of hope for an NBA Finals run.
However, the No. 8 seed Orlando Magic jumped out to a surprising 3-1 lead in the first round series. In the end, the Pistons pulled a rabbit out of the hat and defeated the Magic in seven games to complete the 3-1 comeback and advance to the semifinal round.
The Pistons will now face off against the No. 4 seed Cleveland Cavaliers, beginning on Tuesday.
But, the Pistons rewarded head coach J.B. Bickerstaff with a new contract extension, the team announced on Monday.
The Pistons announce a contract extension for coach JB Bickerstaff after Detroit overcame a 3-1 deficit in its first-round series with Orlando. pic.twitter.com/nuU0RvCXMt
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) May 4, 2026
Bickerstaff is in his second season with Detroit, and ironically enough, he was recently the head coach with the Cavaliers before being fired and landing with Detroit.
The Pistons went 44-38 in Year 1 with Bickerstaff but lost in the first round of the playoffs in six games to the New York Knicks.
Bickerstaff initially signed a four-year deal prior to the 2024-25 NBA season, and while the official terms have not yet been released, he is staying in Detroit a bit longer after overcoming a 3-1 deficit.
It also marked Detroit's first playoff series win since 2008.
Can the Pistons Make an NBA Finals Run?
The Eastern Conference appears to be wide open once again this season.
In the first round, the No. 2 seed Boston Celtics lost to the Philadelphia 76ers in seven games as Jayson Tatum missed the final game with an injury.
The No. 3 seed New York Knicks took six games to get by the Atlanta Hawks, and the Cavaliers took seven to get past the Toronto Raptors, so the Eastern Conference title is up for grabs.
Not even two weeks ago, the Pistons looked to be a major bust, but they overcame a 3-1 deficit and now have all sorts of momentum going their way heading into the series against the Cavaliers.
Related: Cade Cunningham Makes Unfortunate NBA History in Game 4 Loss to Magic
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This story was originally published May 4, 2026 at 1:22 PM.