Overview
- Boston’s loss in Chicago ensured Detroit will hold the East’s best record at the Feb. 1 cutoff, securing Bickerstaff as one of three All-Star head coaches.
- The Pistons are 32-11 with a five-game lead over the Celtics at the time of the announcement, reflecting the team’s rapid rise under Bickerstaff.
- This is Bickerstaff’s first All-Star coaching assignment, highlighting Detroit’s turnaround from a 14-68 season two years ago to contention.
- The 2026 All-Star Game will debut a three-team format with two U.S. squads and one international team playing a round-robin of four 12-minute games at Intuit Dome on Feb. 15.
- The Western Conference coaching slot remains to be finalized due to the no-repeat rule, which could pass the honor to the coach with the next-best record if the leader is ineligible.