Duncan Robinson and Cade Cunningham scored 16 points apiece in limited action as the Detroit Pistons overwhelmed a severely shorthanded Indiana Pacers team 121-78 on Saturday night at Little Caesars Arena.
The 43-point blowout matched the ninth-largest margin of victory in Pistons franchise history as Detroit won for the fifth time in its past six games.
Indiana was without its top four scorers, resting Pascal Siakam and sidelining Benedict Mathurin (thumb), Andrew Nembhard (back) and Obi Toppin (foot). The Pacers were also missing T.J. McConnell, who sat out with a knee injury, leaving them short-handed from the opening tip.
Detroit took full advantage. Jalen Duren finished with 15 points and eight rebounds, and the Pistons received scoring contributions from 13 different players. Cunningham and Robinson needed fewer than 20 minutes each, while Duren logged just 23 minutes before coach J.B. Bickerstaff emptied his bench midway through the third quarter.
The game was effectively over early. Indiana missed 10 of its first 11 shots and committed five turnovers as Detroit raced to a 24-2 lead in the opening seven minutes. The Pistons led 59-25 at halftime, holding the Pacers to 23.3% shooting overall and just 1-for-18 from 3-point range. Indiana also missed seven of 11 free throws in the opening half.
Cunningham (11 points), Robinson (10) and Duren (9) nearly outscored the Pacers by themselves before the break, combining for 30 points to Indiana’s 25. The halftime total marked Detroit’s best defensive half of the season and Indiana’s lowest-scoring half of the year.
Jarace Walker led the Pacers with 13 points, while Tony Bradley added 12. Indiana had won four of its previous five games before the loss.
The Pistons led by as many as 44 points in the third quarter before coasting to the finish.
Up next:
Up next, Indiana plays its third game in four nights Monday at Philadelphia. Detroit returns home Monday to host the Boston Celtics.
