DETROIT — For J.B. Bickerstaff, identities have shifted.&nbsp;

Two years ago, he guided a youthful Cleveland team that was out-worked, out-rebounded, punked in the paint and ultimately eliminated by the Knicks in the first round.&nbsp;

<div class="nyp-slideshow-modal-image__wrapper"><a href="#" aria-controls="nyp-slideshow-modal" data-slideshow-modal="trigger" title="Open a slideshow of all 3 article images." aria-label="Open a slideshow of all 3 article images." data-slideshow-slide-number="1" data-slideshow-slides-total="3"> 3 </a></div><figcaption>Detroit Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff shouts at an official during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the New York Knicks, Thursday, April 10, 2025, in Detroit. AP</figcaption>

Bickerstaff’s new squad, the Pistons, also is young and inexperienced but installed physicality at the top of its culture tenets.&nbsp;

For J.B. Bickerstaff, identities have shifted.{ai:summary}J.B. Bickerstaff, now head coach of the Detroit Pistons, has seen a shift in team identity. Previously, he led a young Cleveland team that struggled against the Knicks in the playoffs. His current Pistons, while also young, prioritize physicality as a key aspect of their culture.#sports

J.B. Bickerstaff-led Pistons shaping up to be a not-so-easy first-round opponent for Knicks

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