Poor second half costs Detroit Pistons at home against Kings, 122-113
The Sacramento Kings have been one of the NBA's biggest surprises this season. On Friday, they showed the Detroit Pistons why they've emerged as a playoff favorite.
A poor second half proved costly for the Pistons, who lost at Little Caesars Arena, 122-113. Detroit carried an eight-point lead into halftime but was outscored 67-50 in the final two quarters, as Sacramento punished them repeatedly in transition. Bojan Bogdanovic led the Pistons with 22 points, Jalen Duren scored a career-high 15 points and grabbed 14 rebounds, and Saddiq Bey added 14 points off the bench.
De'Aaron Fox (24 points, nine assists) and Domantas Sabonis (23 points, 13 rebounds, seven assists) led the way for the Kings.
STEW COOKIN':Isaiah Stewart showcasing improved ball-handling as power forward
It was a competitive first half, with nine points and nine lead changes. But the Pistons were in control for more than half, leading for 14 minutes. They closed with a 13-4 run to take a 63-55 lead into halftime.
The Kings took control in the second half, though, using a 28-8 run after the intermission to build a 12-point lead midway through the third period. They crushed the Pistons in transition, tallying 14 fastbreak points in the third period after entering halftime with just two. Detroit’s first unit played with poor energy and struggled to take care of the ball. It didn’t help that Killian Hayes (11 points, four assists) and Jaden Ivey (five points, five assists) both struggled with foul trouble, ending the first half with three apiece.
Detroit’s second unit nearly made it a competitive game down the stretch. Bey scored 12 of his 14 points in the second half, and knocked down a 3 with 1.9 seconds left in the third period to whittle the deficit down to seven. Stewart hit his third 3-pointer of the night with 7:24 remaining in the fourth to make it a three-point game, 101-98.
That’s as close as the Pistons got. A fastbreak layup by Harrison Barnes extended Sacramento’s lead back to double-digits, 111-100, with 5:46 remaining. A layup from Sabonis with 4:31 remaining pushed the lead to 13, matching Sacramento’s biggest of the night.
Duren’s double-digit rebounding streak continues
Like most rookies, Duren hasn’t been entirely consistent. But the coaching staff has praised his willingness and speed at learning. And one aspect of his game has been a steady positive — rebounding.
Friday was Duren’s fifth-straight game grabbing double-digit rebounds, and his third time in five games with a double-double. He grabbed six of his 14 boards in eight first-quarter minutes. Despite only being 19, he has a size and athleticism advantage over most opposing centers. Teams haven’t been able to keep him off the boards.
Duren’s performance Friday was one of his best of the season. He had great chemistry with Detroit’s guards, who found him for lobs and dumpoff passes throughout the game. He recorded just one block, but he was a deterrent at the rim with his length. And he avoided foul trouble in a tough matchup against Sabonis, finishing with just three.
The coaching staff promoted him to the starting lineup last week against the Memphis Grizzlies because of his offensive chemistry with Stewart. He doesn’t appear in danger of losing his starting job anytime soon.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Pistons crater vs. Kings in 2nd half, lose 122-113
