NBA Notes: Pistons, JB Bickerstaff, Bulls, Josh Giddey, Grizzlies

“It’s a completely different basketball game,” Bickerstaff said, per Keith Langlois of Pistons.com. “And until you’re in it, it’s hard to understand it. We’ve been through this before. At some point in time, we were all kids and didn’t listen to our parents, either, and didn’t figure it out until we experienced it on our own. That’s what the playoffs are.”

The Pistons finished with the No. 6 seed in the Eastern Conference and face the third-seeded Knicks in the first round. Bickerstaff emphasized that while his staff can try to prepare the team, there is no substitute for firsthand experience.

“We can tell guys what to expect, but until we experience it you don’t understand just how different it is from an intensity standpoint, from the execution of schemes, the importance of possession-by-possession basketball,” he said.

Bulls

As the Bulls prepare to face the Heat in Wednesday night’s Eastern Conference play-in game, tempo and toughness are expected to be decisive factors.

According to Julie Poe of The Chicago Tribune, the Bulls are aiming to push the pace, while the Heat will look to slow the game down and dictate play in the half-court. The contrast in styles could go a long way in determining which team advances to the NBA playoffs.

“Our identity is up and down — and it’s not a secret,” Bulls guard Josh Giddey said. “Everyone knows the way we play.”

Chicago’s ability to impose that tempo may hinge on how it responds to Miami’s physicality — something that has been a challenge in past matchups. The Heat eliminated the Bulls in the play-in round in both 2023 and 2024, leaning on a bruising defensive approach.

“I feel like Miami — the last two years we played them in the play-in — they physically dominated us,” guard Coby White said. “We’ve got to match that.”

Grizzlies

While Friday’s play-in elimination game will determine whether the Grizzlies extend their season, it will also have major implications for their 2025 first-round draft pick.

In a trade agreement finalized in February, the Grizzlies committed to sending their 2025 first-round pick to the  Wizards if it falls outside of the lottery. At the time, that appeared to be a likely outcome.

However, with Memphis entering Friday’s contest as the No. 9 seed in the Western Conference, a loss would place the Grizzlies in the lottery — currently slotted at No. 14 — allowing them to retain the pick.

Should Memphis be eliminated, Washington would instead receive two second-round picks: the most favorable of Boston’s, Indiana’s, the Los Angeles Clippers’, or Miami’s 2026 second-round selections, along with Atlanta’s 2027 second-rounder.

If the Grizzlies win and advance to the playoffs, the Wizards would acquire Memphis’ first-round pick, which would fall at either No. 18, 19, or 20 in the draft order. The exact position will be determined by a tiebreaker scheduled for Monday.

• Meanwhile, here is the latest on the Grizzlies’ mindset entering the game. As an aside, Ja Morant (ankle) says he will play.