Detroit — Through the first 41 games, every coach around the association has raved about the Detroit Pistons. They have spent the first half of the season as the league’s most improved team, but no coach has praised the Pistons for their progression more than Rick Carlisle.
Despite leaving Detroit with a victory on Oct. 23, Carlisle knew the Pistons would not be a laughingstock, an early season evaluation that led to his Indiana Pacers sustaining a 24-point defeat on their home floor on Nov. 29.
“They’re a very good team; they’re proving it with how they’re playing,” Carlisle said. “The two games we’ve played, we’ve led a very small percentage of the time, and they’ve really carried the action for the majority of the two games. We’re fortunate to have won one of them because the second one was not close.”
Perhaps the Pacers came into Little Caesars Arena with renewed focus, which led to the Pistons’ 111-100 loss Thursday night. Overall, the Pistons have fallen to 21-20.
Outside of Tim Hardaway Jr., the Pistons played several steps behind the Pacers the entire night. Indiana shot 48% in the first quarter and finished the half shooting 8-of-15 from 3-point range. Myles Turner accounted for five made triples en route to a 19-point first half. Turner’s contributions led to the Pacers holding a 69-56 lead by intermission. He scored a game-high 28 points on 9-of-16 shooting, 8-of-11 from deep.
“He (Turner) stresses what you do defensively, and what he was able to do you don’t see a lot,” Bickerstaff said. “We’ve got to do a better job of helping figure that situation out. Obviously, we prepared for it, but it wasn’t working for us during this game. It’s my responsibility to be better to help these guys figure it out.”
BOX SCORE: Pacers 111, Pacers 100
Hardaway finished with 25 points on 4-of-9 shooting from behind the arc. He scored the first three baskets for Detroit with three consecutive 3-pointers. Jalen Duren recorded his 14th double-double with 17 points and 17 rebounds.
Obi Toppin’s uncontested layup gave the Pacers their largest lead (84-64) with 6:53 left in the third quarter. The Pistons cut into their 20-point deficit by going on a 15-4 run over the next four minutes. Cade Cunningham led the run by scoring five points. However, it wasn’t enough for Cunningham to break free from his subpar play.
Cunningham had arguably his most mediocre performance of the season, scoring 20 points on 7-of-21 shooting from the field, nine assists and seven turnovers. His issues were a testament to the Pistons’ offensive struggles as a whole. They finished the game shooting 9-of-35 from deep while committing 19 giveaways.
“We shot ourselves in the foot with the turnovers,” Duren said. “Way too many and just [didn’t execute] the gameplan that the coaches put in for us. A lot of defensive lapses early on that kind of put us down and put us in the position to fight back. Tough one.”
But despite their issues, the Pistons tried to make the game interesting in the fourth quarter. Early in the period, Cunningham scored on a driving layup to bring Detroit within six points (92-86). However, after a few empty possessions, Pascal Siakam (26 points and seven rebounds) terminated the Pistons’ momentum with a mid-range jump shot.
In his return following a groin injury, Pacers’ Tyrese Haliburton added 17 points and eight assists.
“I shoulder the responsibility of doing more to help; this one is on me,” Bickerstaff said. “I’ve got to do more to help our guys in those situations to make sure we’re seeing the clear picture. The guys we put out on the court are fine. There are just circumstances and situations that were unfolding in front of us, and it’s my responsibility to help those guys recognize those situations.”
Observations and notes vs. Pacers
▶ Turnovers killed the Pistons: The Pistons came into the game as one of the league’s hottest teams. They had produced the third-best record at 10-2 since Dec. 21, and the improvements made in the turnover department have been vital to the team’s success.
Over the last 12 games, the Pistons have averaged 14.6 giveaways—a number they nearly surpassed in the first half alone. Detroit committed 19 turnovers against the Pacers and gave up 13 in the first half.
▶ An off night for Beasley: Malik Beasley had his second-worst shooting performance of the season. He finished with three points on 1-of-10 shooting and 1-of-8 from deep.
▶ Update on Ivey: Bickerstaff gave an update on Jaden Ivey prior to the game. Over the last couple of days, Ivey has been able to be around the team, and according to Bickerstaff, he was able to do so by pushing himself around on a scooter. The team has greatly missed Ivey’s production since he broke his fibula on Jan. 1, but Bickerstaff has been impressed by the way the team has responded since his injury.
“It’s been more about guys getting opportunities; we’re confident in what those guys are capable of doing,” Bickerstaff said. “There’s a depth to this team, and it’s different when J.I. is out there, but we don’t ask anybody to be J.I. It hasn’t been just one guy that’s had to fill that spot, and that’s the only way we’re going to be able to do it.”
Up next
The Pistons will close their two-game homestand Saturday evening against the Phoenix Suns. They will then begin a five-game road trip, which starts Monday afternoon against the Houston Rockets. Tip-off between the Pistons and Suns is scheduled for 4 p.m at LCA.
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