The Detroit Pistons played perhaps their worst game of the season, losing to an undermanned Washington Wizards team 126-117. Some games you just seem destined to lose from the tip, and this was one of those for Detroit. The entire experience of watching it was frustrating and really, quite annoying. The Pistons didn’t take their opponent seriously and got the outcome they deserved.
The Wizards were up 22 points early in the first half because the Pistons were slow, lazy, and settling for poor shots
and worse decisions. It flipped momentarily when Ron Holland and Ausar Thompson — both too young to realize when their older teammates have decided to mail it in for the night — put on a defensive masterclass for a stretch in the second quarter to help propel a huge run that cut the lead to one.
The Pistons, though, were more than happy to puke on their shoes and cough up that entire effort within the first five minutes of the third quarter. They fell behind by as many as 18 in the third, and Detroit never never got closer than four points the rest of the way. Even as Detroit crept closer, the Wizards were hitting a series of insane circus shots. This was most embodied by a double-clutch, off-balance 3o-foot, banked-in three by the offensively challenged Bilal Coulibally to stretch the lead to seven with just over three minutes to go.
It was just that kinda night. It was the kind of night that you want to forget, except I am going to spend the next 12 hours horrified about what this performance might portend as Detroit plays the second night of a back-to-back when they host the New York Knicks.
They might play that game short-handed as Tobias Harris sat out the game with hip soreness. They also didn’t have Daniss Jenkins as he is out of available time as a two-way player and isn’t yet on a new standard NBA contract. Worst of all, they lost All-Star Jalen Duren after halftime with right knee pain. Duren, to that point, had played maybe the worst game of his season, so it was no surprise that something was up. You just have to hope that something isn’t serious.
Tonight was also the first look at Detroit’s newest “sharpshooter,” Kevin Huerter. He entered tonight shooting 31% from 3 and, well, he couldn’t even manage that tonight. He shot the ball twice tonight, both threes, and had two bad misses. He played nearly six minutes in the first half and didn’t see the floor in the second half.
Not a terrific debut.
The Pistons by Cade Cunningham who delivered a 30-8-8 showing and truly didn’t have a very good game. Either that is because he has such a high standard for himself, or I am feeling that surly tonight.
Again, Thompson and Holland innocent. Everyone else guilty. I’m too annoyed to tell you how the Wizards performed, but basically every one of their available players had one of their best games of the season.
Blech.
