Taking the court with a litany of injuries once again, the Detroit Pistons took down the Philadelphia 76ers by a score of 114-105 to secure a 2-0 start in the NBA Cup, which also marked the team’s ninth-consecutive victory overall. The Pistons are having their best start to the season in over 20 years, and it took a complete team effort to deliver the win on Friday night. 

With a victory over Philadelphia, the Pistons remain in first place atop the Eastern Conference after an 11-2 start to the 2025-26 regular season. Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff has preached that each member of his team needs to be ready to perform on a nightly basis, and he lived up to his word in tonight’s NBA Cup matchup. 

Daniss Jenkins delivers another key performance 

Filling in for Cade Cunningham on the night, it was Daniss Jenkins who delivered another peerless performance as Detroit’s floor general. Jenkins totalled 19 points and eight assists in the nine-point win, but it was his controlled presence and ability to dictate the pace that helped the Pistons climb back into the game during the third quarter after falling behind briefly. 

Jenkins, who is on a two-way contract right now, is proving exactly why he is deserving to be converted to a standard NBA deal at some point this season. Jenkins hit a big half-court buzzer beater at the end of the third quarter to cut the 76ers’ lead to only two points entering the final frame. 

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From that point, Pistons guard Caris LeVert showcased his top performance as a Detroit player thus far with a big fourth quarter. LeVert nailed a pair of back-to-back threes to instill some energy into Little Caesars Arena, and the veteran out of Michigan finished with 14 points on the night. It was in the first half, though, when LeVert may have been at his most effective with five first-half assists. LeVert was pivotal in helping the Pistons put the win on ice late, and he shined on a night when Detroit needed a big performance from its role players.

From a scoring perspective, Pistons forward Javonte Green was feeling it from a distance. Green led the Pistons with 21 points on the night, knocking down three crucial triples along the way, and Green also converted eight of his nine free throw attempts for a critical dose of scoring to help the Pistons take down the 76ers. 

Playing in his first game back from injury, Pistons big man Isaiah Stewart initially came off the bench, but he made his presence felt with five big rebounds in the first quarter. During the first half, there were a few tense moments between Philadelphia and Detroit, and Beef Stew was nearby to make sure the Pistons were not being pushed around. Eventually, Stewart finished with 14 points and seven rebounds on the night, and his return to the lineup was readily accepted in what was a narrow victory at home. 

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From a defensive perspective, Ron Holland started the game for Detroit, and his quick hands were clogging up passing lanes left and right against Philly. Though he only scored nine points, Holland recorded three steals, one of which he finished on the other end of the court with a poster-caliber slam dunk in transition. 

Playing without Jalen Duren tonight, the Pistons were not nearly as effective in the paint as they usually are, but that is to be expected without Detroit’s starting center in the lineup. The Pistons did not utilize the lob too often against Philadelphia as Bickerstaff coached the team to adjust to its personnel.

Now riding a nine-game winning streak, the Pistons will have a couple days off before facing the Indiana Pacers at home on Monday, Nov. 17 at 7 pm. 

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