The Pistons are 4-1 on the second night of back-to-backs this season. Brian Sevald / Getty Images
The Detroit Pistons’ depth has been one of their strong suits all season. They’ve battled through injuries with a next-man-up mentality that has largely led to their 19-5 start.
Although Tobias Harris, who was sidelined with a left ankle sprain, was the Pistons’ only starter out with injury in their 124-112 win over the Milwaukee Bucks, Saturday was another example of just how deep Detroit is.
The win moved the Pistons to 4-1 on the second night of back-to-back games this season, with the lone loss coming at the hands of the Cleveland Cavaliers on Oct. 27. That was their largest margin of defeat thus far, but it also spurred a 13-game win streak.
Through their first five back-to-backs last season, Detroit was 1-4. This is obviously a small sample size, but the Pistons’ ability to string together victories on the second night of back-to-backs speaks to this team’s resolve as well as its depth.
Six Detroit players scored in double figures in Friday’s win over the Portland Trail Blazers, and the Pistons followed that up with seven double-figure scorers Saturday. J.B. Bickerstaff has spoken since training camp about the level of talent Detroit possesses and has vowed to find minutes for as many players as possible.
Eleven Pistons played Friday, and 13 touched the hardwood Saturday. Minutes may dwindle as the season progresses, but Bickerstaff’s optionality to deploy lineups with a variance of scoring threats is one of Detroit’s greatest strengths this season.
This story will be updated.
Dec 7, 2025
Connections: Sports Edition
Spot the pattern. Connect the terms
Find the hidden link between sports terms
Play today’s puzzle