The Detroit Pistons logged yet another impressive victory on Friday night, defeating the full-strength Cleveland Cavaliers, 133-122, despite not having the services of their likely All-NBA point guard Cade Cunningham, who was out with a calf contusion.
The victory was Detroit’s 42nd of the season, up from 14 wins a year ago. That 28-win jump makes the Pistons the first NBA team to triple their win total from the previous full, 82-game season. The Charlotte Bobcats tripled their win total from seven in 2011-12 to 21 in 2012-13, but the first total came in a lockout-shortened 66-game season.
Somehow, Detroit coach J.B. Bickerstaff probably isn’t going to win Coach of the Year. That trophy is likely being engraved for Kenny Atkinson, who replaced Bickerstaff in Cleveland and was a -1600 favorite at BET MGM entering play on Friday.
No matter. Bickerstaff has been incredible in outfitting the the Pistons with a super competitive demeanor and defensive edge, and Cunningham has been even better. But again, Cunningham didn’t play on Friday and Detroit was still able to beat the East’s No. 1 team to remain just two losses back of the Indiana Pacers for a top-four seed with eight games remaining.
Without Cunningham, the Pistons, who closed the game on a 12-1 run to seal the victory, got a huge game from Tim Hardaway Jr., who went for 32 points and seven 3-pointers.
“Always next man up,” Hardaway said after the win. “No matter what they say.”
All five of Detroit’s starters finished with at least 16 points. Jalen Duren had 16 points and 13 boards. Malik Beasley had 19 points and three 3-pointers. Dennis Schroder had 17 points and was a game-high plus-16. Ausar Thompson, who doesn’t get quite as much pub as his twin brother Amen in Houston but is a similarly sensational, stat-stuffing gem, had 18 points, 10 rebounds, four blocks, two steals and this sensational alley-oop finish.
The Pistons have now won 17 of their last 23 games. Over that stretch, they have registered the best defense in the league and the fourth-best offense. This is a legit team that is going to give somebody a serious first-round problem in the playoffs.
