Detroit Pistons President of Basketball Operations Trajan Langdon announced Monday that the team has extended the contract of head coach J.B. Bickerstaff. Per team policy, terms were not disclosed.
Bickerstaff has recorded a 104-60 (.634) regular season record in two seasons with Detroit, including two consecutive playoff appearances. He has a career regular season record of 359-350 (.506) in 10 NBA seasons as a head coach, including five playoff appearances.
The Detroit Pistons also announced playoff activations for Game 1 of the second round against the Cleveland Cavaliers, including additional new food and retail offerings for the postseason presented by Henry Ford Health and Ticketmaster.
The festivities for Game 1 tip off with a free pregame fan fest outside at Little Caesars Arena Plaza beginning at 4 p.m. today. Family-friendly activities including an airbrush tattoo station, face painting station and fan sign station as well as photo opportunities and a halfcourt basketball court transforming the Little Caesars Arena Plaza into a pregame party.
Doors to Little Caesars Arena will open two hours prior to tipoff at 5 p.m. for Game 1 and will be open two hours prior to gametime for the remainder of the postseason. The first 10,000 fans will receive thundersticks and all fans will receive a playoff t-shirt at their seats.
Fans are encouraged to arrive early and be seated in their seats prior to tipoff to participate in special surprise playoff elements during introductions and throughout the in-game entertainment production at all Pistons’ home games. Detroit-native and saxophonist Daryl Beebe will perform the National Anthem at Game 1 and Michigan-native and sports music artist Terry Fox aka “P.L.” will provide halftime entertainment.
The Detroit Pistons and Delaware North — the food, beverage and retail partner at Little Caesars Arena — unveiled additional new postseason-inspired food and retail offerings for fans.
Exclusive Round 2 Playoff merchandise will debut at Game 1 and be available at the Team Store at Little Caesars Arena and online at Pistons313Shop.com.
New merchandise includes the Pistons’ playoff ’47 Brand t-shirt, Pistons vs. Cavaliers head-to-head matchup t-shirt, ‘Forged in Detroit’ playoff t-shirt by local artist Just by Juliana, and a new colorway of the recently released “Detroit Dub” shirt which will be available only after Pistons playoff wins immediately following the final buzzer in the Team Store.
The Team Store at Little Caesars Arena will be open prior to today’s contest from 11 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; Wednesday, May 6 from 11 a.m.-6 p.m.; prior to Thursday’s game from 11 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; and on Friday, May 8 from 11 a.m.-6 p.m.
Guests can continue to expect an elevated selection of limited-time food and beverage offerings across Little Caesars Arena from the Detroit Pistons and Delaware North, featuring:
- All The Time Fry – Seasoned fries topped with All The Time Spice Blend, All The Time Sauce, and fresh scallions. Available at The Coop (Portals 18 & 19).
- Full Court Press Sundae – Vanilla ice cream topped with red or blue soda, sprinkles, and a Pistons‑branded topper, served in a souvenir sneaker cup. Available at The Scoop (Portals 18 & 19).
- Playoff Run‑ning Taco – An elevated walking taco featuring an extra‑large bag of Flamin’ Hot Cheetos loaded with your choice of proteins, cheeses and toppings. Available at Portal 26.
Detroit Street Lab (Portal 28), a concept inspired by Detroit’s street food culture and built for speed, flavor, and creativity, which will also include a collaboration with influencer Eric Loves Cooking. Menu highlights include:
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Korean Corn Dogs
Bad Boy Blue (Pistons Exclusive) – Brick cheese, Blue Takis, crispy potato crust, takoyaki sauce, and Kewpie mayo
Street Lab Coney – All‑beef hot dog, chili cheese Fritos, crispy onions, and mustard -
Sandos
Assembly Line Steak Sando – Grilled tenderloin, rice wine slaw, Kewpie mayo, and takoyaki sauce on RSA milk bread -
Side Street Snacks
The Foundry Fried Rice – Bacon lardons, kimchi, yum yum sauce, and takoyaki drizzle
- Eric’s Motor City Crisp – Eric Loves Cooking’s Two Fairway Packing Co. beef patties, melted brick cheese, shredded lettuce, Eric’s 313 sauce, and mild pepperoncini
- Eric’s Deli Steak Sandwich – Eric Loves Cooking’s Shaved tri‑tip with Havarti, garlic horseradish sauce, shredded lettuce, tomato, onion, and giardiniera
Playoff Beverages and Souvenirs
Postseason vibes extend to beverages and collectibles, including:
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You Don’t Want This Smoke – A show‑stopping cocktail featuring tequila, Blue Curaçao, cream of coconut, and a smoke bubble served in a basketball shoe cup.
Available at Beverage Cart (Portal 13). - 20‑oz Draft Cups with Pistons Player Images – Available at multiple locations throughout the arena.
Limited tickets are available for Detroit Pistons second round playoff games, including today and Thursday, May 7 at 7 p.m. at Little Caesars Arena, and can be purchased online at pistons.com/playoffs or ticketmaster.com, or by calling the ticket office at 313-PISTONS.
Tickets also can be purchased at the Xfinity Box Office at Little Caesars Arena during business hours (Monday-Friday, 12-5 p.m.).
