The Detroit Pistons are going back to the playoffs, and they got there the hard way. Without their best player and playing the second night of a back-to-back, Detroit dismantled a shorthanded Golden State Warriors team, 115-101, at Little Caesars Arena on Friday night to become the first Eastern Conference team to clinch a postseason berth this season.
It is the first time the Pistons have reached the playoffs in consecutive seasons since 2009. The last time they achieved the feat, the NBA was a different league, and Detroit was a fading contender rather than a rising one.
Duren carries the Pistons through an injury-riddled stretch
Jalen Duren has been the steadying force through what has become a difficult stretch for the Pistons’ roster. Cade Cunningham missed his second straight game with a collapsed lung, Isaiah Stewart sat out for the fourth consecutive game with a calf injury, Marcus Sasser was held out as a precaution with a hip issue, and Kevin Huerter was unavailable due to a right shoulder contusion.
Duren, dealing with an ankle injury of his own sustained in Thursday’s win over Washington, still delivered 23 points on 8-of-12 shooting, adding six rebounds in 21 minutes before foul trouble limited his night. Over the past 15 games, he has averaged 23.4 points and 11.2 rebounds, numbers that have moved him into the conversation for All-NBA consideration.
The 51-19 Pistons improved to the best record in the Eastern Conference, a number that felt almost impossible to picture two seasons ago.
Jenkins and Reed fill the void left by Cunningham
Daniss Jenkins, starting in place of Cunningham for the second straight game, came within one assist of his first career triple-double. He finished with 22 points, eight assists and seven rebounds, scoring 13 of those points after halftime when Detroit needed someone to take charge. Jenkins has shown flashes this season but had been inconsistent offensively in recent weeks. Friday was a reminder of what he can do when given space and responsibility.
Paul Reed provided another steady performance off the bench in Stewart’s absence. Reed contributed 15 points, six rebounds and two steals, helping Detroit recover after falling behind by nine points midway through the second quarter.
Duncan Robinson scored nine of his 11 points in the second quarter to help the Pistons take a 57-50 lead into halftime. Tobias Harris added 13 and Ron Holland finished in double figures as well.
Ausar Thompson’s historic defensive night
Ausar Thompson had the defensive performance of his career. He recorded seven steals against the Warriors, tying a franchise record set by Ish Smith in February 2017 for the most by a Piston in a single game in nearly a decade. The all-time Pistons record for steals in a game belongs to Ron Lee, who had eight in March 1980.
Thompson’s effort was a reflection of Detroit’s wider defensive aggression on the night. The Pistons finished with 16 steals as a team, helping force 26 Golden State turnovers that translated into 32 Detroit points. The Warriors’ turnover issues have been a recurring problem during a stretch in which they have lost seven of their last eight games.
Golden State crumbles without its stars
Golden State entered the night already without Stephen Curry, who has now missed 19 consecutive games with a right knee injury. The situation worsened in the first half when Kristaps Porzingis left with lower back soreness.
Brandin Podziemski led the Warriors with 15 points and seven rebounds. De’Anthony Melton added 14 points on 5-of-14 shooting. Golden State shot poorly and could not contain Detroit’s transition attack, which produced a 19-5 edge in fastbreak points. The Pistons also outscored the Warriors 74-44 in the paint.
Detroit led by 14 entering the fourth quarter and pushed the advantage to as many as 24 in the second half. The Pistons’ next test comes Sunday at home against the Los Angeles Lakers, who have won eight straight.
