After losing the Battle of the Thompson Twins on Friday night and ending their four-game winning streak, the Detroit Pistons showed up to their Sunday matinee against the Sacramento Kings with an opportunity to bounce back. Detroit showed their strength as the #1 team in the East as they dominated the Kings 139-116.
Jalen Duren kicked off Detroit with a strong first quarter as Sacramento struggled to defend JD inside – though, they would go on to struggle defensively the whole night. Duren would score 10 of Detroit’s first 20 points while a Tobias Harris three-pointer at the buzzer put the game at a 35-35 tie at the end of the first.
After shooting poorly the last few games with an injured wrist, Cade Cunningham showed up playing aggressive. He was punishing smaller Kings defenders in the post and found his jump shot in this one. He had 19 points, five rebounds, and eight assists in 19 first half minutes and that helped Detroit score 43 second quarter minutes to take a 78-65 lead. It’s the most they’ve scored in the first half all season.
It was one of those games that felt over by halftime.
There were still more than four minutes left in the third by the time Detroit had 100 points. The Pistons kept their foot on the gas and would extend their lead to 20 by the start of the fourth quarter. Sacramento does not have the defensive answers against Detroit, though, they didn’t seem to have the effort, either.
JB Bickerstaff would get to empty the bench in the final frame as 14 Detroit players got to see the court. Eight guys of the usual 10-man rotation (no Caris LeVert) would finish with double-digit points. Detroit would go on to shoot 55% from the field and 16-for-31 from deep on their route to a 139-116 final score.
Cade finished with 29 points, five rebounds, and 11 assists after being on triple double watch at halftime. He had a couple of sloppy turnovers, but still had a very efficient game despite shooting only one free throw. Jalen Duren faced little opposition down low and added 18 points.
Good things happen with this team gets three-point makes out of their starting SG and PF positions. Tobias Harris and Duncan Robinson combined to shoot 7-for-12 from deep, each with six attempts. In the seven games this season where Tobias Harris attempted at least six three-pointers, the Pistons are 6-1. This proves we should trade for a sharpshooting PF, right?
Bench players Ron Holland, Jaden Ivey, Daniss Jenkins, and Javonte Green would all go on to score 11 points each. After a strong showing, Holland received an unfortunate ejection after a weird tussle with Keon Ellis.
Another strong win for the strongest team in the East. Detroit next plays Tuesday night as they head west to take on Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets up in the Denver mountains.
Go Stones.
