The Detroit Pistons have had several impressive rallies this season, including during their hot stretch of basketball. But on Thursday, they fell short.
The Pistons (21-20 overall) fell to the Indiana Pacers at Little Caesars Arena, 111-100. They trailed by 16 shortly before halftime and by 20 midway through the third quarter, thanks to one of their worst starts of the season.
Despite coming off two rest days, the Pistons were disorganized and lacked energy in the first half. They shot 37.5% (9 of 24) in the opening quarter and entered halftime facing a 69-56 deficit and 13 turnovers.
They got within seven points, 107-100, with two minutes remaining following a 3-point play by Tim Hardaway Jr. He was the Pistons’ most consistent offensive player, finishing with 25 points on 9 for 11 foul shooting.
The Pacers answered with a turnaround fadeaway by Pascal Siakam, followed by a split trip at the line by Andrew Nembhard, extending the deficit to double-digits with under a minute to go.
Cade Cunningham finished with 20 points and nine assists, and Jalen Duren added 17 points and 16 rebounds. Myles Turner led all scorers with 28 points, knocking down 8-of-11 3-point attempts. Siakam tallied 26 points, seven assists and six rebounds, and Tyrese Haliburton finished with 17 points and eight assists.
Hardaway was the team’s savior early, opening the game with three consecutive 3-pointers and forced an early Pacers timeout. He also closed the first half with a buzzer-beating 3-pointer, after the Pistons gave up a late 14-2 run and faced a 16-point deficit, their biggest of the night to that point, with 35 seconds on the clock.
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Otherwise, it was a team-wide slow start. Andrew Nembhard did a good job defensively on Cade Cunningham, who didn’t score his first field goal until midway through the second quarter and entered halftime with seven points, four assists and three turnovers on 2-for-7 shooting.
It was a physical, chippy game that the Pacers were able to dictate early with superior shooting and effort. Siakam scored 16 points in the second on 6-for-7 shooting, while Turner torched the Pistons from behind-the-arc by making 5-of-7 attempts from 3 before halftime.
Siakam and Haliburton exchanged trash talk with various Pistons players, both floor and on the bench, throughout the night.
Pistons rally in second half, fall short
Things improved for the Pistons in the second half, with the Pistons committing just a pair of turnovers in the third quarter while whittling a 20-point deficit to single digits. They got within nine, 86-77, with four minutes remaining in the period with a 3-point play from Cunningham that capped a 13-2 run, but the momentum carried into the fourth.
They got within six points, 92-86, with just over 10 minutes remaining when Cunningham’s layup extended the run to 22-8. A driving floater by Harris midway through the period cut it to six again, 96-90, before going cold again late. The Pistons shot just 30.4% in the fourth, including 1-for-9 from 3.
Thompson making impact as starter
The Pistons haven’t missed a beat since Jaden Ivey went down with a broken fibula on New Year’s Day. They had won seven of eight games in that stretch entering Thursday, with Ausar Thompson’s defensive activity giving the starting unit its own unique energy.
Thompson’s been among the NBA’s best at producing steals, with 22 total since the Pistons’ 10-2 stretch of games starting on Dec. 21. He has played fewer than 25 minutes most nights, yet his impact has been felt. They’ve been average defensively, an improvement compared to the start of the season, and have been among the league’s best at creating turnovers and scoring in transition as well.
He had some nice moments against the Pacers, showing off his improved confidence in his handle on a pair of drives to the rim. He also was on the team’s best defender on Siakam. The Pistons missed Ivey’s offensive creation in the first half, though, as the Pacers locked in on Cunningham defensively and stymied their offense.
Thursday was Thompson’s fifth-consecutive start.
“Obviously we miss (Ivey) a ton,” Bickerstaff said pregame. “We try not to make this just a business of basketball here. So we miss JI as a person, first and foremost. He’s been able to come around a little bit more the last couple of days pushing on his little scooter. So that’s been good for the group to be able to see him.
“When Ausar’s filled into that role we just want Ausar to be the best version of himself, and he helps us in different ways that makes us a little bit different. It’s not ever going to be, this guy is replaceable, it’s this guy gets an opportunity to play in his positions of strength and see him impact the team.”
Contact Omari Sankofa II at [email protected]. Follow him on X @omarisankofa.
