Playing an injury-riddled Nuggets squad on the road, the Detroit Pistons needed a healthy dose of good fortune to escape with a narrow 109-107 win against Denver, but the Eastern Conference’s top team was able to do just that. 

With less than 20 seconds remaining, the Pistons held a slim one-possession lead with All-Star point guard Cade Cunningham bringing the ball up the floor for with an iso look on his mind. After calling off Tobias Harris, sending the vet into the corner to free up space, Cunningham flubbed his dribble and was forced to pick the ball up in search of an outlet.

That outlet was Harris, who hit his classic fadeaway turn-around jumper that he’s known for to give Detroit a decisive bucket down the stretch and a three-point lead. From there, the Pistons inexplicably fouled Nuggets guard Jamal Murray behind the arc, giving the Canadian playmaker a chance to tie the game. 

With the crowd hanging on Murray’s every move, the high-scoring Nugget promptly cracked under pressure and missed a free throw attempt, momentarily vanquishing Denver’s chance to extend the game.

After the Nuggets fouled and Harris made both of his free throws on the other end, Denver had one final hope, a last gasp. Murray hoisted up a final, errant triple attempt but was fouled once again. 

Deja vu. 

So, with a chance for redemption, Murray clanked his attempt from the charity stripe off the rim, giving the Pistons a hard-fought two-point win on the road. 

In a shining performance, Harris logged 22 points on a tidy 10-for-15 night from the field and also added eight rebounds, three assists and two steals for a performance that balanced efficiency and production. Harris was able to deliver several crucial baskets for the Pistons in the fourth quarter, and his steady effort helped carry Detroit across the finish line. 

"It was an awesome celebration of a huge milestone for him," Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff said after the game. "For him to be playing his 1,000th game tonight speaks obviously of his longevity, his ability to adapt to the new game, to the game throughout the years but his durability and his ability to be on the floor. So, for him to have the professional game that he had tonight, to hit the shots that he hit tonight when they were needed most is just a compliment to him, to his game and how he's been able to survive."

With regards to Cunningham, the Pistons’ All-Star starter also posted 22 points with 11 assists and three boards to round out his night, and he continued to look much more comfortable after recovering from an injury to his right wrist. 

Apart from Harris and Cunningham, the Pistons spread the ball around and allowed for everyone to get involved to some degree. Both Ron Holland and Javonte Green played a key defensive role throughout the contest, and the tenacious twosome each posted double-digit points in a game where every basket mattered. 

From a defensive perspective, the Pistons put the clamps on Denver initially, particularly when considering the smothering onslaught from Ausar Thompson right off the bat. In the first quarter alone, Thompson pickpocketed the Nuggets three times, and the third-year point forward racked up five steals before halftime. 

Thompson was unable to carry the same defensive intensity into the second half, however, since he picked up his fourth personal foul early in the third quarter. Holland, Thompson’s substitute on occasion, also found himself in foul trouble during the fourth, so the Nuggets were successful in forcing Detroit defenders into compromising positions. 

To that effect, Murray scored 24 points and passed out 10 assists, but he was the only member of Denver’s squad to score more than 16 points, clearly a sign that the team is missing the offensive impact that Nikola Jokic brings on a nightly basis. 

Now at 34-11 on the season, the Detroit Pistons will face the Phoenix Suns on the road on Thursday, Jan. 29 at 9 pm. 

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