Chicago — The Pistons played their final game of the 2022-23 season on Easter Sunday against the Chicago Bulls in what was a low-scoring affair, reminiscent of the early 2000’s.
Offense was hard to come by for both teams, but the Pistons were searching for their second consecutive win for the first time since November.
Killian Hayes had another impressive performance with 26 points, eight rebounds and seven assists, but his production alone wasn’t enough carry Detroit to their 18th win as the Pistons lost 103-81 at United Center.
The Pistons remained competitive for the majority of the game until the Bulls, who were playing with their starters on the bench, outscored them 32-11 in the fourth quarter. The Pistons couldn’t muster up enough offensive production for a resurrection on Sunday, leading to a loss in their season finale.
The Pistons will finish with a record of 17-65, which is the worst record in the NBA and the second-worst win-loss tally in franchise history since the 16-66 mark set by the 1979-80 team.
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The Pistons’ 81 points nearly set the record for the lowest team total this season, which was set by the Portland Trail Blazers, who scored just 80 points against the Sacramento Kings on March 29.
Jaden Ivey, who was coming off a 29-point outing on Friday against the Pacers, finished with 16 points before fouling out rebounds in the final game of his rookie year. Jalen Duren scored just four points, but he dominated the boards with 14 rebounds. He also accounted for six of the Pistons’ 25 turnovers. Marvin Bagley III was the only other Pistons player to reach double scoring figures as he totaled 12 points and seven rebounds off the bench.
The Bulls were led by their duo of Zach Lavine and DeMar DeRozan, who scored 17 and 16 points, respectively. Nikola Vucevic and Coby White added eight points each.
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Here are a few observations from Sunday’s loss/win:
Killian Hayes finds consistency: After scoring a career-high 28 points against the Indiana Pacers on Friday, Killian Hayes picked up right where he left off on Sunday afternoon. He knocked down back-to-back 3-pointers to help Detroit rally from a 13-point deficit in the first quarter. He capped off his 10-point quarter with a fadeaway jumper at the end of the buzzer. Hayes only made three of his eight attempts from 3-point land, but he appeared confident taking those perimeter shots, along with his go-to mid-range jumpers. Hayes’ strong finish should bode well for his transition back to the second unit once Cade Cunningham returns next season.
Hampton’s availability cut short: RJ Hampton made his second consecutive start on Sunday, but he only played three minutes until he was replaced by Jared Rhoden. It is unclear why Rhoden did not play for the remainder of the game.
Donovan pulls starters: Late in the third quarter, Bulls coach Billy Donovan pulled his starters as they hung on to a two-point lead. Rookie guard Carlik Jones scored all 11 of his points in the fourth quarter to create more separation for the Bulls. Ayo Dosunmu added nine points. Chicago’s
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