In a surprising turn of events, the Detroit Pistons, holding the NBA’s worst record, unleashed a dominating scoring run to secure a 120-104 victory over the Western Conference-leading Oklahoma City Thunder. Jalen Duren shone with an impressive 22 points and a career-high 21 rebounds, while Jaden Ivey contributed 19 points. The Pistons utilized a decisive 20-6 scoring burst from the late third quarter into the fourth, marking their second win in three games. Eight Pistons players scored nine points or more, showcasing a well-rounded offensive effort.
Despite Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s outstanding performance, scoring 31 points for the Thunder, Detroit maintained control. Gilgeous-Alexander led a comeback that cut a 14-point deficit to 87-84 in the third quarter, but the Pistons responded with a 13-2 surge to close out the period. This momentum carried into the fourth quarter, where Detroit’s lead swelled to as much as 19 points, thanks to balanced scoring and aggressive defense.
In another Sunday matchup, the Indiana Pacers overcame the absence of All-Star guard Tyrese Haliburton to secure a 116-110 victory against the Memphis Grizzlies. Bennedict Mathurin, stepping into the spotlight in Haliburton’s absence, poured in a team-high 24 points off the bench, making 9 of 14 shots from the floor. Pascal Siakam and Jalen Smith contributed 19 points each, with Smith also grabbing 10 boards. Andrew Nembhard finished with 16 points and nine assists. Jaren Jackson Jr. led the Grizzlies with 25 points, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the Pacers’ balanced offensive performance.
In a closely contested game, the Atlanta Hawks ended a four-game losing streak by edging the Toronto Raptors 126-125. Saddiq Bey led the way for the Hawks with a season-high 26 points, including the game-winning dunk with one second remaining. Trae Young contributed 30 points and 12 assists, Clint Capela added 19 points and 14 rebounds, and Jalen Johnson had 17 points and 12 rebounds, forming a formidable offensive quartet for the Hawks. The Raptors, on a five-game losing streak, were led by Scottie Barnes and Jordan Nwora, both scoring 24 points in a valiant effort that fell just short.
