Despite the advanced schedule, and changed so as not to step on the toes of the Detroit Lions (NFL), who will try to qualify for the Super Bowl, the Thunder are taking their meeting against the Pistons the right way. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Chet Holmgren open the way and Oklahoma Citt takes the lead, facing the stuttering and clumsy Pistons, like Jaden Ivey at 1/6 on shots (31-24).
First in the West or not, the Thunder were however heckled in the second quarter. A 7-0 from the Pistons back up to par allows them to take a 9-point lead! Thanks in particular to a big boost from the bench, like this nice alley-oop concluded at high altitude by Kevin Knox!
At the end of a second quarter that was far too lax defensively by the Thunder (46-30), the Pistons were ahead at the break (70-61), with Jalen Duren (10 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists) who took over on Chet Holmgren. Bonus stat: only one lost ball for Detroit in the first half!
Jalen Duren dominant
Returning from the locker room, the Thunder tightened the screws defensively and came back to breathe down the necks of the young Pistons. But the latter, including Jaden Ivey, responded and put back a gap, with a comfortable (and surprising) +14 before the last quarter (100-86).
Without SGA visibly preserved at the end of the match, the Thunder suffered the law of aggressive Pistons, with Monte Morris who stole the ball before throwing Burks who sent Thompson to the alley-oop with two shots of the pot spoons.
Mark Daigneault soon raises the white flag, with a few minutes (but no ball) for Olivier Sarr (120-104). The only downside of the evening for Detroit: the injury exit of Isaiah Stewart (left ankle).
WHAT YOU MUST REMEMBER
– A prestigious victory for the Pistons. Don't laugh, but with two wins in three games, the Pistons are not far from their best series of the season (they had won two in a row at the start of the season). After beating the Hornets on Thursday, they above all took the scalp of the Thunder, the best team in the West, by controlling the match from a breathtaking second quarter on offense: 46 points!
– End of series for OKC. Shaken by two consecutive defeats in Los Angeles, the Thunder remained on five straight victories. Series stopped in Detroit despite 31 points from SGA (in 29 minutes) and 17 points from Jalen Williams. Catastrophic at 3-point at 8/28, OKC let go defensively in the face of the astonishing fury of the Pistons.
– The Duren–Holmgren duel. The power of the Piston got the better of the length of the Thunder. Jalen Duren thus finished with a double double-double, at 22 points plus 21 rebounds (and 6 assists) when Chet Holmgren had to be content with 9 points and 12 rebounds, at 4/11 on shots and 1/5 on 3- points.
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How to read the stats? Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; O = offensive rebound; D=defensive rebound; T = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; +/- = Point differential when the player is on the field; Pts = Points; Eval: player evaluation calculated from positive actions – negative actions.
