Detroit's Bad Boy Pistons return, messy and dominant

Thirty-seven years ago, Detroit basketball shoved its way into the history books. In an era that was previously dominated by the beautiful ball of the Showtime Lakers and Larry Bird Celtics, the Bad Boy Pistons earned their nickname by playing rougher, tougher, and meaner than anyone else. They made three consecutive Finals, earned two titles and, according to star center Bill Laimbeer, changed the way that the game was played. 

"We brought defense to the league," Laimbeer told First Take back in 2020. "Everyone said the Pistons were destroying the game of basketball. Because we played defense, and we made it hard to score. That's how we had to win." 

The Bad Boy squad is now a faded recollection. Tobias Harris, the Pistons' current designated Unc, entered the world two years after their final championship. What contemporary supporters recall more vividly (or attempt to suppress) is the beginning of the 2020s. This era saw five consecutive years of Detroit Basketball languishing at the league's lowest rung, largely due to perpetually poor defensive performances. Laimbeer confessed that he ceased following the NBA during those years, disheartened by the league's perceived lack of toughness. 

J.B. Bickerstaff arrived in the summer of 2024 with the mission to transform the team's culture. To propel the team forward, he drew inspiration from its history. Bickerstaff orchestrated a remarkable defensive improvement, resulting in 30 additional victories and a 15-place jump in defensive standings. The veteran players started to pay attention. 

"They are back. They have found their culture. They have found their identity. They are Bad Boys walking out," Isaiah Thomas noted on an NBA TV broadcast last year.

The Pistons have reinforced their defensive focus this year, climbing to the second-best defense in the league and achieving 13 consecutive victories before their Wednesday game against the Celtics. This winning streak is surpassed only by the franchise's championship squads of 1990 and 2004. Mirroring those past teams, the current squad has gained national attention, holding the top spot in the Eastern Conference as November concludes.

The Thunder's top-ranked defense has overshadowed the runner-up Detroit team's efforts. However, the Pistons' relative defensive efficiency (averaging 5.5 points per 100 possessions above the league average) would be leading the league in most typical seasons. Their performance on that end of the court is statistically superior to that of the Bad Boys. Only Detroit's 2004 championship team has featured a more dominant era-adjusted defense in the franchise's history.

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Pistons are NBA's Nasty Boys

There will never be another Bad Boys. But here come the Nasty Boys.

"We just got a bunch of nasty dawgs in that locker room, and they love it," Bickerstaff told reporters after a short-handed, come-from-behind win in Philadelphia in early November. Bickerstaff's off-the-cuff remark spawned a nickname that the team has embraced. 

"We all nasty dawgs, nasty boys, whatever you want to call it," reserve Daniss Jenkins added postgame. "That’s us. A bunch of mutts. You don’t want no mutt in your house, do you? Nobody like mutts. We nasty boys, that’s what we are." 

Cerberus, the three-headed dog that guards the gates of the underworld, was one of the most feared creatures of Greek mythology. The Pistons trio of Jalen Duren, Isaiah Stewart, and Ausar Thompson are bringing that nightmare to life. 

Duren has always been a physical specimen. At 14, he already looked like a prime Dwight Howard. 

Jalen Duren was a menace at 14 years old 💀 pic.twitter.com/WSGl7sumwq

— 𝔗𝔥𝔢 𝔇𝔢𝔱𝔯𝔬𝔦𝔱 𝔗𝔦𝔪𝔢𝔰 📰 (@the_det_times) November 20, 2025

While his skills were excellent, Duren initially lacked a solid grasp of the game during his early career. He frequently found himself out of position defensively, becoming a weakness on that side of the court.

He's finally figured it out in his fourth year, cutting back on the silly fouls and hopeless gambles. He now grades out as a plus paint protector, holding opponents to 1.7 percent below their season averages. It's coming at the best possible time. He's in line for a five-year, $241 million max deal from the Pistons this summer and will be in All-NBA consideration at the end of the season. 

Stewart is the heart of the Pistons, even if Duren is their most recognized defender. Not long ago, he was primarily known for his altercation with LeBron James. It took his entire team to restrain him. He repeatedly lunged, breaking tackles and fighting for every inch toward LeBron, blood pouring from his face.

This imposing player has demonstrated he's far beyond just a viral sensation. His relentless spirit is evident in his game. He's capable of defending any opponent and stands as the premier defender unknown to casual observers. He warrants an automatic spot on the All-Defensive team as media members recognize his exceptional skill. 

Ranking third in the league for deflections per game, Thompson is the team's third key player. He consistently faces tough opponents and isn't afraid of confrontation. This resilience is inherent, as his twin brother Amen noted after Ausar's altercation with Jabari Smith Jr. Earlier this year. 

"Those are both my guys," he said. "If they gotta fight, they gotta fight. Just figure it out." 

The trio has been instrumental in the Pistons' ability to lock down the paint. In the infrequent situations where opponents manage to get a shot at the rim, only the Thunder and the Spurs squad, spearheaded by Wemby, compel a greater proportion of missed attempts. 

These Pistons are tough, even among teammates. They yell at each other one minute, then shake hands the next. 

Ausar & JD get into it…

They all good though. Pic.twitter.com/CmIQnPCpcO

— Pistons Jack (@pistons_jack) November 10, 2025

That goes to what Bickerstaff has termed "controlling the chaos." It's the motto that the team has embraced throughout their impressive start to the year and ridden to the top of the East. 

"We want to create the chaos, but we want to be in control of it as well," Bickerstaff explained recently before his team took on the Hawks. "We want to push people’s buttons and make them a little emotional but be able to hold ourselves to our standard and still continue to play. The message of controlling the chaos is that we want to dictate when the chaos happens." 

The Pistons exhibit a desperate intensity that other teams struggle to match. Javonte Green's journey has taken him from Radford University to five different teams over seven years. His defensive effort remains at its peak even during free throws, where he wipes the ball with sweat from his forehead occurs between attempts.

Jenkins has moved from The University of the Pacific to Iona, and then to St. John's. The 24-year-old was not drafted last year and has less guaranteed money in his contract than the 12th player from the 1989 Bad Boys squad. This season, he's emerged as one of the most overlooked talents, skillfully driving to the basket and competently guarding his assigned position. 

Cade Cunningham leads the way, possibly the league's most receptive superstar to coaching. He witnessed his team's losses escalate from 59 as a rookie to 65 in his sophomore season and 68 in his third year, He fought back tears when the Pistons matched an NBA record with 28 consecutive defeats. These setbacks only served to fortify him. 

"He could have been pissed off. He could have been frustrated. He could have blamed everyone else. But never once did you hear him do that," Bickerstaff said in Atlanta. "The only thing he ever did was put his head down and go to work and accept responsibility. I don’t know if I’ve ever coached a guy who has apologized or 'my badded' me and meant it more than Cade." 

The Pistons embrace discomfort, with difficult conversations being a prime example. This past week, Bickerstaff frequently used terms like nasty, muddy, sticky, thick, and ugly to characterize his team's play. He pushes his players to drive opponents into undesirable situations. Much like Laimbeer's forearm shiver, this Pistons squad makes its presence known. 

"If you bash on that door hard enough, it will fall down," Laimbeer told the New York Times back in 1988. 

Stewart arrived eight years following Laimbeer's retirement. That identical spirit lives within him. Following the shorthanded Pistons' comeback victory against the Sixers, he offered his evaluation in a manner befitting a Nasty Boy. 

"We kept applying that pressure," Stewart stated matter-of-factly. "And they laid down for us."