DETROIT — The Detroit Pistons came out of nowhere last season, suddenly, emphatically. And it’s clear they have no intention of going back.

How good have they been through 13 games? Good enough to have the best record in the Eastern Conference at 11-2. Good enough to post their best start in 20 years, while riding their longest winning streak in 17 years. Even good enough to keep rolling despite missing almost their entire starting lineup.

The Pistons won their ninth straight Friday night, beating the 76ers 114-105, and this was a clinic in physicality and selflessness, conducted by unheralded players learning what they can do, but knowing who they are.

“We’re all nasty dawgs, nasty boys, whatever you want to call it, that’s us, a bunch of mutts,” said guard Daniss Jenkins, who had 19 points, eight assists and a half-dozen verbal confrontations. “I don’t back down from nobody. I’m going to compete at the highest level and I’m gonna talk. You’re gonna hear me because you’re gonna have to deal with me all night.”

The Pistons are making so much noise these days, it’s hard to hear over the din. For the second straight game, they played without injured starters Cade Cunningham, Jalen Duren and Ausar Thompson, and are still missing Tobias Harris. Duncan Robinson was the last starter standing, along with sixth man Isaiah Stewart.

All the wounded should be back relatively soon, but the Pistons can’t waste time and games in the interim. So they served a piping-hot pot of Beef Stew and the Boys. Javonte Green, a 32-year-old journeyman, powered for 21 points and nine rebounds. Center Paul Reed joined Stewart in paint-protecting duties and contributed 10 points, eight rebounds and three blocks.

Jenkins, undrafted out of St. John’s a year ago, keeps throwing in buzzer-beating miracles. His shot at the end of regulation against the Bulls earlier this week sent the game to overtime, where the Pistons naturally pulled away for a double-digit victory.

This time, Jenkins went farther, several steps farther. His heave from beyond midcourt at the third-quarter buzzer pulled the Pistons within two and sent the Little Caesars Arena crowd into a frenzy. And I mean off-the-charts raucous, as if the fans were feeding off the joy and energy of guys embracing a moment they probably never expected. The sellout of 20,062 created a college-like atmosphere, cheering for the jerseys as much as the names — names few knew barely a week ago.

Surprising? To me and you and almost everyone else, sure.

To J.B. Bickerstaff? Ha. This is the culture he’s crafted and cultivated in just a year-and-a-half, and it’s evident all across the roster, from one through 15.

“I’m not surprised,” Bickerstaff said. “The character of our guys lends me to believe they can do anything. They’ve just got a nastiness to them, that’s the fun part about our group. They like it when it gets thick, when it gets messy, when it gets ugly, that’s where they thrive. We like to push people’s buttons and see how they respond. Our guys have proven — a big step for us — that we can control our emotions and control the chaos when we get to it.”

Everything looked strange on this night, from the out-of-place lineup to the deep blue color of the court. It’s part of the NBA Cup, the league’s peculiar in-season tournament, created to lift enthusiasm for early-season contests.

Again, it’s only 13 games but I’m not sure how much higher the Pistons can lift it. We do need to keep this in perspective, as the 76ers also were missing their star, Joel Embiid, and others. It’s a long season, but the foundation constructed during last year’s run to the playoffs clearly remains in place. GM Trajan Langdon has added pieces judiciously, while waiting to see how his young talent develops.

Built on defense, doggedness

It’s built on defense and doggedness, ferocity and grit. A year ago, it might’ve sounded like coach-speak. Now it comes from a deeper well of experience.

The Pistons are third in the league in defensive rating, second in steals, blocks and rebounds. They're near the bottom in three-point shooting, which makes them an NBA anomaly, an antagonistic one.

“It fits Dee-troit basketball perfectly,” said Stewart, one of the interior enforcers. “We got no problem getting down, getting dirty and protecting that rim.”

They also have no problem sharing the ball to hunt better shots. They notched an astonishing 32 assists on 41 baskets, while shooting 17 for 41 on 3s. (Jenkins and Duncan Robinson combined to hit eight of 14).

This is not some aberration by hungry backups trying to prove themselves. It’s the same feisty style displayed by Cunningham and Duren, Thompson and Ron Holland II. It’s why the Pistons should remain in contention for a top seed if they get (and stay) healthy, and Cunningham continues his ascent to superstardom. The East is rife with flawed teams and injured stars, and the Pistons expect to get their full roster back, including Jaden Ivey, in the next couple weeks.

No, they’re not going to keep winning at an 84.6% clip, especially when they start taking those Western Conference road trips. But they’re not going away, not with the continued rise of their young high-end talent and continued commitment to defense.

The Pistons led by 11 at one point Friday night but fell behind by 12 in the third quarter. Then Jenkins hit his ridiculous 3 and the Pistons smothered Philadelphia in the fourth.

“(76ers’) 15 points in the fourth quarter says it all,” Bickerstaff said. “Our ability to defend at an elite level when it matters most is impressive. They know they can get to a place where they put a stranglehold on people offensively.”

Sometimes the Pistons appear eager to put literal strangleholds on people. Stewart is the ultimate agitator/intimidator, although he has to keep his temper in check. Same with Duren, who’s blossoming into a force, averaging 19 points and 12 rebounds.

Nasty dawgs, down-and-dirty mutts? They say it proudly, and “Dawg Pound” is etched on their locker room wall. They aren’t trying to be pretty, or petty, or prone to pity. The distance from “Bad Boys” to a reincarnated version — “Nasty Boys” — never seemed realistic, and the Pistons certainly aren’t there yet. But they’re quickly learning the way.

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