Pistons’ JB Bickerstaff vows to help Cade Cunningham more amid turnover issues

The Detroit Pistons must be wracking their brains right now in search of answers on how to avoid being just the seventh one-seed in NBA history to lose in the first round of the NBA playoffs. On Monday night, the Orlando Magic suffocated their offense once more and frustrated Cade Cunningham to the tune of 25 points on a putrid 7-23 shooting night to go along with eight turnovers in a 94-88 loss to fall down 3-1 in their first-round series.

Cunningham, in addition to his poor shooting over the past two games on the road, has been rather turnover-prone. After turning the ball over nine times in Game 3, he followed that up with eight more giveaways in Game 4. Even in the Pistons’ Game 2 win, Cunningham was a turnover machine, coughing the ball up seven times.

For those counting at home, Cunningham has racked up 24 turnovers over the past three games, and it’s always going to be hard for the Pistons to win when they’re this careless with the basketball. Head coach JB Bickerstaff has now vowed to try and make life easier for Cunningham by scheming to give him more space on offense.

“You look up, 20 turnovers and give up 16 offensive rebounds, that’s going to be hard to overcome. We’ve got to be better in those areas,” Bickerstaff said in his postgame presser, via Coty M. Davis of The Detroit News.

“They’re sending a lot of bodies to him. We’ve gotta help him by giving him more space, so that he has room to operate. Set screens for him, be a little more physical, get the guys off of him,” Bickerstaff added, via Hunter Patterson of The Athletic.