The Eastern Conference couldn’t prepare for the shock that hit them. Jayson Tatum marked his return for the Boston Celtics against the Dallas Mavericks. That has entirely changed the power balance. Recent results have gotten worse for the Detroit Pistons. Their resurgence seems to have been cut short after the NBA All-Star break. They’ve now lost four in a row, with the race for the top seed only getting tighter against the Shamrocks.

But Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff is not worried about a sleeping giant awakening. His first and primary concern remains ensuring the Pistons pick up some momentum after a four-game skid.

“Boston, obviously, is a good team, but we’re not concerned about Boston,” Bickerstaff said of the Celtics. “Our biggest concern is making sure that we’re doing what we need to do to go out and be as good as we possibly can. We got plenty of time to figure it out, and we will.”

It’s not exactly a surprise. The Pistons have spent the entire season competing with the Oklahoma City Thunder for the best record in the NBA. At one point, Detroit sat at 43-14, trailing only the 45-13 Thunder in the overall standings and ranking fourth in net rating, a tangible sign of just how high this group had climbed before the current rut.

Since the break, however, they’ve lost some of that synergy. Without that fluidity coming back, Detroit doesn’t stand a strong chance of getting out of the East.

So instead of making it about the opponent, Bickerstaff is urging his players to focus solely on improving the situation. It’s not a cause for panic.

“Everybody goes through difficult times or goes through a little bit of a rut,” said the Pistons coach.

It all comes down to how the team responds to its situation.

Right now, the Pistons are 45-18 and sit atop the East, while the Celtics are 43-21 and only 2.5 games back in the standings. That gap has already shrunk during this four-game skid, turning what was a comfortable cushion into a race where every loss meaningfully opens the door for Boston.

A 109-113 loss in Cleveland to start the slide, where late-game execution again came up short. A 106-121 defeat in San Antonio that exposed defensive slippage and transition issues. A narrow 105-107 home loss to Brooklyn that highlighted their recent inability to close out tight games.

One thing’s for sure. Improve or not, the Pistons must see the Celtics as rivals. With Tatum, they have yet to lose a game. Furthermore, Jaylen Brown has been an MVP candidate in Tatum’s absence. The Celtics are banded together, with some of their championship core ready to make another run.

J.B. Bickerstaff welcomes adversity on the Pistons

After dropping a game against the Brooklyn Nets, the in-form Miami Heat proved too much for the Pistons. Cade Cunningham and Jalen Duren combined for an efficient 50 points. However, the team engine didn’t function as well as it needed to. The Pistons shot just 29.7% from beyond the arc. Only Cunningham made multiple three-pointers against the Heat.

They are concerning signs emerging from the break. However, J.B. Bickerstaff also sees this as a necessary phase for his young team.

“This is the first time, really, this year that we’ve hit somewhat of a bump in the road, and it’s good for us, right,” Bickerstaff said. “The adversity is good for us. It’s only going to bring us tighter together. This group has proven that. So, there’s just opportunity for growth, opportunity for lessons. We’ll be just fine.”

It’s somewhat true. Over a long NBA season, timing is important. Teams need luck at the right moment. Similarly, adversity at the right time could really benefit teams. In the Pistons’ case, they have made noise after a long time. They experienced the highs of being the best team in their conference and, at times, in the NBA.

Now, they have to build on that foundation again, reminding themselves of how they made the ascent in the first place.

It’s better to have to deal with this heading into the postseason. It gives the Pistons a chance to polish their schemes and be as together as possible as a team, with the postseason right around the corner. There’s no certainty that the team will figure it out. But Bickerstaff’s optimism is just as strong as his demands.

He sure won’t let the Pistons turn into nervy competitors after an exquisite campaign.