After four days off, the Detroit Pistons welcomed a slew of starters back into the lineup with Cade Cunningham, Jalen Duren and Tobias Harris all back after missing several games each. 

With the added firepower, the Pistons battled tooth and nail in what was a contentious matchup all throughout the contest, particularly between Ron Holland and Dillon Brooks. At one point, Brooks picked up a flagrant foul after a dust up with Holland, and the two players had to be separated multiple times during the game. 

Despite the rampant physicality, Duren and Duncan Robinson helped lead the Pistons to a narrow 108-105 victory in front of an energetic home crowd on Thursday night. Robinson led Detroit with 19 points in the win, and Duren had a huge double-double, contributing 16 points and 18 rebounds in his own right on SLAM Night, which paid tribute to the release of his recent magazine cover. 

Battling against the Suns, Cunningham was productive in the sense that he logged 10 points and 11 assists on the night, but his impact was a bit muted. It seemed as if Cunningham’s shot was a little bit off, and the All-Star guard went just 3-for-16 from the field, though he was receiving some intense pressure from Phoenix on the night.

In the first half, the Suns began picking Cunningham up full court, so the Pistons responded by adding extra back court screens for Phoenix to fight through as Detroit set up their offense. Brooks was also assigned to guard Cunningham at various times throughout the game, and he’s a known pest and defensive menace across the NBA. 

Although Cunningham was able to get to his usual spots, he struggled to finish at the rim and did not seek out the mid-range jumper with his usual frequency, so other players on the squad had an opportunity to contribute in a back-and-forth game with double-digit lead changes. 

The impact that Holland made against the Suns cannot be constrained to the stat sheet. In that respect, Holland posted 11 points and nine rebounds in the Pistons’ 29th victory of the season, but his energy and defensive tenacity were bright spots that shined through vibrantly for Detroit. 

When engaged in a physical matchup with Brooks, it was clear that Holland was not going to back down. Brooks flopped to draw a cheap foul on Holland early in the duel, then the Phoenix agitator struck Holland in the face and was assessed with a flagrant foul for his work. 

From that point on, Holland helped force turnovers and converted bonus possessions into points for the Pistons, and his effort was influential in tipping the momentum back in Detroit’s favor. 

Also coming off the bench, Jaden Ivey was one of the more productive Pistons on the court in the sense that the fourth-year guard out of Purdue went 6-for-8 from the field, scoring 15 points in 17 minutes for a near-point per minute pace. 

Now at 29-10 on the season, the Pistons remain in first place in the Eastern Conference and will have a day off to rest up before taking on the Indiana Pacers at 7:30 on Saturday, Jan. 17. 

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