Despite an off night from Steph Curry, the Detroit Pistons couldn’t handle the Golden State Warriors on Thursday.
They fell to the Warriors at Little Caesars Arena, 107-104, despite Curry shooting just 23.8% shooting, including 2-for-14 on 3s, en route to 17 points The Pistons trailed by 18 with 5:40 remaining in the game before a spirited 22-6 run made the final minutes close.
A dunk by Malik Beasley cut it to two, 104-102, with 23 seconds left. Curry, who otherwise had a bad night, made two free throws with 14.6 seconds to play to make it a two-possession game and close out the win. Cade Cunningham intentionally missed a second free throw with 4.1 seconds remaining and the Pistons trailing by 3, and a review confirmed that the shot grazed the rim before Cunningham rebounded.
However, Malik Beasley’s would-be-tying 3-point attempt at the buzzer missed.
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Beasley finished with 21 points on 8-for-21 shooting and Cunningham led the Pistons with 32 points while adding eight assists and six rebounds.
Ausar Thompson returned to the starting lineup after missing two games with an illness. Tim Hardaway Jr. missed the game due to back tightness, joining Jaden Ivey (broken left fibula) on the injury report.
It was a disjointed first half for the Pistons, who trailed by as many as 18 in the second quarter before trimming it to 10 by halftime, 57-47, with a 7-0 run.
Twelve first-half turnovers led to 20 points for the Warriors, who also got big contributions from little-used role players Lindy Waters III and Gui Santos, who combined to knock down six of seven attempts from 3 in the first half, shooting 7-for-12 beyond the arc for the game.
Fortunes shifted in the Pistons’ favor once they cut down on turnovers. A 14-2 run in the third whittled the deficit to five, 72-67, in the third. They committed one turnover while finally finding a rhythm from downtown, hitting five 3s in the period after going just 6-for-18 (33%) in the first half. They also committed a single turnover in the final period, aiding their run.
Holland’s shooting numbers improving
The 2024 No. 5 overall pick has been one of the Pistons’ steadiest contributors this season. He’s the only player on the roster to appear in all 38 games this season. And he has improved measurably every week, as his shooting percentages reflect.
His three made 3-pointers Thursday night marked his career-high, and also a personal milestone considering he entered the game having made just 21.2% of his attempts. But in his 18 games leading up to Thursday, Holland had made 37.5% of his attempts — nine of 23 — and shot 59.8% overall.
His energy and hustle has earned him playing time. Now, his efficiency is beginning to match the other aspects of his game.
Lions show support during bye week
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Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn generated one of the biggest cheers of the night when he appeared on the Jumbotron at Little Caesars Arena on Monday, and . It’s a well-earned bye week for the Lions, and several more of them decided to come out and support the Pistons on Thursday.
Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jahmyr Gibbs and Kerby Joseph all sat courtside along the baseline, and general manager Brad Holmes joined Pistons vice chairman Arn Tellem on the opposite sideline. Tim Patrick and D.J. Reader were also present.
Holmes also received a standing ovation after putting together the best season in Lions history. With Sunday’s win over the Minnesota Vikings, they secured the best record in the NFC.
Contact Omari Sankofa II at [email protected]. Follow him on X @omarisankofa.
