The Detroit Pistons appeared to have momentum following Thursday’s road win over the Brooklyn Nets. A home game against the Houston Rockets, who own the NBA’s worst record, presented an opportunity for the Pistons to build.
It ended in embarrassing defeat. The Pistons fell to the Rockets, 117-114, thanks to poor execution down the stretch and an offense that went cold after a hot start. Alec Burks, making his second straight start, tallied 21 points. Bojan Bogdanovic scored 18, and Jaden Ivey finished with 16 points, seven rebounds and five assists.
Burks gave the Pistons the lead with under two minutes left with a 3-pointer, and then split a trip at the line with 1:20 remaining to extend the lead to three, 112-109. After that, almost everything went wrong for Detroit.
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Jalen Duren fouled Kenyon Martin Jr. on a layup attempt with 34.7 seconds left, and Martin finished through contact. He missed the and-1, but Jae’Sean Tate came up with the offensive rebound and Martin got a layup to fall following Tate’s miss to give Houston the lead. Detroit’s following possession turned into a jump ball, which Burks lost against Jabari Smith Jr.
Ivey’s layup with 9.5 seconds left cut the deficit back to two, but the Pistons (13-38) were out of timeouts and Eric Gordon, who led all scorers with 24 points, iced the game with four free throws in the final 20 seconds. Detroit was crushed on the offensive glass, as the Rockets grabbed 16 boards there for 21 second-chance points.
The Rockets were without 2021 third overall pick Jalen Green, who missed the game with a right calf contusion, as well as fellow top scorers Kevin Porter Jr. (19.2 points per game) and Alperen Sengun (15.5).
Pistons start strong, lack execution down stretch
The Pistons got what they wanted from their new starting lineup on Thursday, which featured Alec Burks for the first time this season with Killian Hayes and Isaiah Stewart coming off of the bench. The most important result was a win over the Nets, but it was the overall competitiveness of the unit that won Detroit’s coaching staff over.
On Saturday, Houston went deep into their bench after the Pistons opened the game with a 16-4 run. Detroit did the same, substituting in Hamidou Diallo, Isaiah Livers and Stewart with four minutes remaining in the first and following with Hayes shortly after. Despite a strong start, the Pistons didn’t have quite the same consistency.
After shooting 11-for-17 in the opening quarter, the Pistons slumped hard. Houston took control in the second quarter, outscoring Detroit, 32-20, while shooting 50% overall against Detroit’s 32%. The Rockets took their first lead, 48-47, midway through the period and continued to roll after halftime. Their biggest lead came midway through the third, when a 3-point play by Gordon gave them a 76-64 advantage over Detroit.
It was Detroit’s bench, rather than the starters, that brought the Pistons back into the game. A lineup featuring Diallo, Livers, Hayes, Stewart and Bogdanovic sparked a 22-7 run that allowed the Pistons to close the quarter with an 86-83 lead. It wasn’t enough cushion for a win, however. The two teams traded blows in the fourth quarter before the Pistons’ eventual defeat in the final minute.
Diallo continues thriving
It might be time to weigh Diallo’s candidacy as Detroit’s most improved player this season. He isn’t doing anything new, but he’s playing to his strengths and has further solidified his role as an energizer off of the bench. His 57.6% field goal percentage this season is not only the best mark of his career, but the first time he has shot better than 50% from the field.
Saturday was Diallo’s 12th time in 15 games reaching double figures in scoring. In January, he’s shooting a scorching 70.6% from the floor. His five steals tied a career high. He has played the exact role the Pistons need from him as a player who can force turnovers, punish opposing teams in transition and rebound.