The Detroit Pistons unleashed a dominating scoring run midway through the second half and the team with the NBA’s worst record earned a 120-104 home victory Sunday over the Western Conference-leading Oklahoma City Thunder.
Jalen Duren scored 22 points and with a career-high 21 rebounds and Jaden Ivey added 19 points as the Pistons used a decisive 20-6 scoring burst from the late third into the fourth quarter to win for the second time in three games. Eight Pistons scored nine points or more, while Duren added six assists to his double-double.
Behind Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who scored 13 of his game-high 31 points in the third quarter, Oklahoma City cut a 14-point deficit to 87-84 with 4:21 remaining in the period.
Detroit answered with a 13-2 surge to close out the third, and the run carried over into the final quarter. The Pistons’ lead swelled to as many as 19 points thanks to balanced scoring and aggressive defense.
Pacers 116, Grizzlies 110
Bennedict Mathurin came off the bench to pour in a team-high 24 points as Indiana overcame the absence of All-Star guard Tyrese Haliburton to beat visiting Memphis in Indianapolis.
Haliburton missed his fifth straight game due to a hamstring injury, but Mathurin had no problem stepping into the spotlight, making 9 of 14 shots from the floor while also grabbing seven rebounds. Pascal Siakam and Jalen Smith each added 19 points for the Pacers, with Smith also snatching 10 boards. Andrew Nembhard finished with 16 points and nine assists.
Jaren Jackson Jr. supplied a game-high 25 points for the Grizzlies, who were outshot 48.9 percent to 46.3 percent from the floor. Vince Williams Jr. chipped in 20 points and eight rebounds, while GG Jackson notched 18 points.
Hawks 126, Raptors 125
Saddiq Bey scored a season-high 26 points, including the game-winning dunk with one second remaining, as Atlanta ended a four-game losing streak by edging visiting Toronto.
The Raptors took a one-point lead with seven seconds left when Gradey Dick stole the ball and threw it to Scottie Barnes for a dunk. After calling timeout, the Hawks got the ball to Trae Young, who missed a floater, only to have Bey grab the offensive rebound and dunk it.
Bey also had 13 rebounds and was one of four Hawks with a double-double. Young had 30 points and 12 assists, Clint Capela had 19 points and 14 rebounds and Jalen Johnson had 17 points and 12 rebounds. The Raptors, who lost their fifth straight, were led by Barnes and Jordan Nwora, who both scored 24 points.
–Field Level Media
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