INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Paul Reed finished with 26 points, six rebounds, three assists and three blocks and Tobias Harris scored 24 points in limited minutes Sunday, propelling the Eastern Conference's top
seeded Detroit Pistons past the Indiana Pacers 133-121.
Reed was 11 of 11 from the field and made all four of his free-throw attempts on a night the Pistons shot nearly 70% from the field and from 3-point range in the first half. Harris was 9 of 12 from the field and 4 of 4 on 3s. Cade Cunningham flirted with a triple-double in the first half before finishing with seven points, eight rebounds and 14 assists.
The Pistons have won three straight and six of seven and posted their highest first-half scoring total of the season with 81 points. Detroit earned its 60th victory for the third time in franchise history and the first time since 2005-06.
Obi Toppin and Quenton Jackson each scored 21 points to lead the Pacers, who closed the season with 19 wins — the lowest total in the franchise's NBA history.
Before the game, All-Star guard Tyrese Haliburton thanked fans for their support during a trying season, one in which he did not play because of the torn Achilles tendon he suffered early in Game 7 of last year's NBA Finals. He has participated recently in five-on-five workouts, has been shooting during pregame warmups and is on track to return next season.
The Pacers proved no match for Detroit, which wanted to build momentum heading into the postseason. And it didn't take long for the Pistons to pull away.
They took a 21-11 lead then used second quarter runs of 13-0 and 9-0 to take an 81-63 halftime lead before pulling out to a 90-66 lead early in the third.
The game was marred late when Pacers forward Jalen Slawson was ejected following a blindside collision with Pistons forward Isaiah Stewart, which resulted in a shouting match between the coaching staffs.
Pistons: Will find out their first-round opponent later this week.
Pacers: Will wait for the NBA Draft Lottery on May 10.
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