Pistons fade against veteran Clippers in 136-125 loss
Detroit — In a battle between Rising Stars and All Stars, between the young and the experienced, it was the veterans that came up on top Friday night, with the Clippers coming away with a 136-125 win over the Pistons.
It was the same tale that has befallen this Pistons team, starting the game off with big leads only to fall slowly but surely down the stretch before collapsing in the final moments.
Detroit built a 14-point lead to go up 22-8 early, showing great effort on defense with hot shooting. But that flame quickly went out, as the Clippers took a 65-59 lead by halftime and never looked back.
While not All-Star starters, Kawhi Leonard and Paul George were announced as All-Star reserves Thursday with Leonard finishing with 33 points, 21 of those coming in the first half. George finished with 18, former Piston Miles Plumlee scored 12, and James Harden had four points with only one field goal made.
The Pistons' might not have All-Stars, but Jalen Duren and Jaden Ivey were announced as Rising Star participants earlier in the week. Duren finished with 11 points and 13 rebounds, including a highlight and-one dunk in the beginning of the third quarter.
Meanwhile, Ivey finished as Detroit's highest scorer with 28 points, although he struggled at the line making three of his six free-throw attempts. Bogan Bogdanovic wasn't far behind with 26 points, going 6-for-9 from three.
BOX SCORE: Clippers 136, Pistons 125
The Clippers' lead went up to 18 points with just over 11 minutes left to play, but the Pistons still showed fight as they pulled within seven points after a Duren dunk. But then George put the finishing touches on the game, as he scored 10 points in the fourth to bring the Clippers back up 20 with just under four minutes remaining, sealing the deal.
Cade Cunningham had a slow start with just six points in the first half, but also finished with a double-double with 16 points and 11 assists.
Just like their 17 turnovers in Cleveland a few nights ago, Detroit yet again showed carelessness with the ball, as 16 of their turnovers tonight led to 25 Clipper points. Against a team with a load of veteran experience like the Clippers, that type of recklessness with the ball won't do, and it doomed the Pistons throughout the game.
Another part of this team that has struggled throughout the season has been bench production. The Clippers' bench, led by Russell Westbrook's 23 points and nine assists, outscored Detroit's 57-37, even though the Pistons had 22 points off the bench in the first half.
Backup guard Marcus Sasser was the only bench player with double-digit points as he put up 21 points on 5-of-6 shooting from behind the arc, the ninth time in his rookie season he's eclipsed double figures in scoring.
Injuries to Isaiah Stewart and Mike Muscala put Kevin Knox in the starting lineup for the 10th time this season, the most starts he's had since his 2018-19 rookie season. Knox couldn't do much in this game, missing his two shot attempts and finishing with zero points in 18 minutes of action.
With Knox struggling and the injuries that have thinned the forward positions, Monty Williams tried a small-ball lineup with Gallinari at the 5 spot that led to a 9-1 run at the end of the third quarter.
Lineups have been a struggle all season for the Pistons, and with the trade deadline coming up, Detroit might make deals to fill these holes. Gallinari finished with 11 points on eight made free throws.
Kameron Goodwill is a freelance writer.