Detroit Pistons' two-way player Wendell Moore Jr. with Cade Cunningham
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Detroit Pistons' Wendell Moore Jr. and Cade Cunningham during a game against the Toronto Raptors in November 2024
The Detroit Pistons suffered a surprising 107-105 loss to the Brooklyn Nets on Saturday night, marking their third consecutive defeat.
Being shorthanded, with both Cade Cunningham and Ausar Thompson sidelined, Detroit is currently navigating a turbulent stretch of the season.
The defeat was particularly notable as the Nets erased a 23-point deficit in the third quarter to complete a dramatic comeback and snap a 10-game losing streak.
The loss represented the Pistons’ fourth defeat in their last seven games, allowing the Boston Celtics to move within 3.5 games of the top spot in the Eastern Conference.
Despite the disappointing result at the NBA level, a positive storyline emerged in the G League through the Pistons’ affiliate, the Motor City Cruise.
Detroit Pistons Two-Way Players Deliver Standout Performances
Two of Detroit’s two-way players, Isaac Jones and Wendell Moore Jr., were both in action on Saturday as the Motor City Cruise secured a 133-118 victory over the Greensboro Swarm.
Jones led the way with a season-high 34 points across 35 minutes while also recording a season-best 15 rebounds.
Eight of those boards came on the offensive glass, highlighting his physical presence inside. He also added five assists, one steal, and three blocks while shooting an efficient 15-of-22 from the field.
Moore delivered an impressive all-around performance as well, finishing with 27 points, four rebounds, five assists, and three steals.
The 24-year-old shot 10-of-17 from the field, including three three-pointers, and posted a team-high plus-25 rating that further emphasized his impact.
The victory marked Motor City’s second straight win and their sixth in the past 10 games.
With a 15-12 record, the Cruise currently sit seventh in the Eastern Conference as they continue battling for playoff positioning.
The Capital City Go-Go are just 1.5 games behind in ninth place, highlighting how tight the race for postseason qualification remains.
Isaac Jones Continues Scoring Surge as Cruise Gain Momentum
For Jones, the performance marked his third consecutive 30-point outing.
He previously recorded 31 points against the Oklahoma City Blue and followed it with 33 against the College Park Skyhawks.
A consistent presence for the Cruise this season, the 25-year-old center is averaging 17.8 points, 8.2 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 1.3 blocks across 31 games.
He is shooting an efficient 57.2% from the field while also converting 30.6% of his three-point attempts on 2.3 shots per game.
Jones has surpassed the 30-point mark four times this season, recorded double-digit rebounds in nine games, and even produced a remarkable seven-block performance in January.
Moore has also been one of the team’s most productive players. Since re-joining Detroit after a strong start with the Celtics’ G League team at the start of the season, he has averaged a team-high 20.5 points across 28 games.
The 6-foot-5 forward is also contributing 5.3 rebounds, 3.4 assists, and 1.6 steals per game while shooting an efficient 50.4 percent from the field and 38.8 percent from beyond the arc.
His standout performance came on February 20, when he erupted for 38 points on 13-of-21 shooting, including three three-pointers, in a narrow loss to College Park.
Despite their strong G League production, opportunities with the Pistons at the NBA level have been limited.
Moore has logged just 54 minutes across five NBA appearances this season, while Jones has played only a single minute.
Still, their continued development suggests Detroit has two promising depth options available if called upon.
As the NBA regular season enters its decisive stretch, teams often rely on depth to manage workloads and injuries, and two-way players frequently become valuable contributors during key moments of the schedule.