On a night when the Detroit Pistons didn’t have enough, they found just enough to escape with the win. They outlasted a surging Philadelphia 76ers 111-108 for their sixth consecutive victory. A turnaround 11-footer gave the Pistons a three-point lead with 17 seconds ensured the Sixers needed a 3-pointer to tie. The Pistons played suffocating defense on the other end, and Tyrese Maxey’s 25-foot off-balance prayer of a shot clanked off the rim as time expired.
The Pistons were led by Cade Cunningham, with 26 points and 11 assists. Seventeen of those points came in a critical third-quarter surge that saw the Pistons erase a 10-point halftime deficit and turn it into a back-and-forth, knockdown fight for the remainder of the game.
On a night the Pistons were missing Isaiah Stewart because of an ankle injury, Jalen Duren came up huge for Detroit. He scored 21 points and had 16 rebounds to go with two blocks in 37 minutes. Tobias Harris also missed the game, his fourth consecutive absence. Ron Holland filled in for Harris, and he struggled offensively but played hard-nosed defense all game.
The Pistons forced 19 turnovers and held the Sixers to 42% shooting from the floor. Philly was able to stay in the game, and even go on a big run in the second quarter thanks to hitting 24 of their 28 free throws and putting the ball in the hands of Tyrese Maxey as much as possible.
Maxey had a game-high 33 points, and had a number of critical baskets in the fourth quarter as the Sixers staged their comeback attempt.
Detroit struggled when Philly completely sold out on Cunningham, often sending two and three defenders his way. He was able to find Duren to attack the paint or keep the ball moving, but the lack of offensive threats felt palpable all game.
The Pistons were able to gut out the win because Duren is on a nuclear-level run, and players like Ausar Thompson (14 points and four assists) and Caris LeVert (14 points on 4-of-5 from three) managed to create just enough offense.
And the defense is legit. Watching the rash of Pistons’ defenders guard the perimeter in late-game situations is a thing to behold. Thompson, Holland, Javonte Green are all moving their feet, taking smart angles, and communicating to ensure the ball handler never gets an easy path to the basket or a clean passing lane.
This team has a lot to figure out on offense, but it’s built on its defense. And that defense, and some Cade and Duren magic, have powered the Pistons to a 7-2 start and a first-place position in the Eastern Conference.
See More:
* [Detroit Pistons Game Day](/detroit-pistons-game-day)
* [Pistons Scores](/pistons-scores-results)