The Detroit Pistons are building some momentum after their 126-110 win over the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday night
Playing on the tail end of a back-to-back after beating the Philadelphia 76ers last night, the Detroit Pistons defended home court once again with a 126-110 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday night.
After playing in limited action last night (15 minutes), All-Star center Jalen Duren bounced back with a pivotal 30-point effort for the Pistons. Duren, who stayed true to his efficient self with 12-for-15 FGs, added 13 rebounds for a dominant double-double in a string of impactful performances after the All-Star Break.
With Duren’s big night fueling Detroit to a comfortable 16-point win, JD also notched his 6th career 30-point game in the process. All game long, Duren matched up against an undersized, injury-riddled Grizzlies lineup and battled in the paint with his usual array of lobs and low-post moves.
Naturally, much of Duren’s handiwork was supplied by Cade Cunningham, and the third-team All-Pro point guard turned in another key effort with 17 points, 15 assists, eight rebounds and three steals on the night. After the game, Cunningham gave a respectful nod to his All-Star teammate’s performance, calling Duren’s size a “huge advantage” with most of the Grizzlies’ big men unavailable.
“I just try to take what the defense gives me and gives my team the best chance to win games at the end of the night,” Cunningham said. “I don’t try to put my numbers first with scoring the ball.”
Those are the words of a true floor general, and they’re reflective of how Cunningham operated against Memphis. Cade didn’t approach the game by hunting for his shot. Instead, the 6-7 guard kicked the ball around and made sure his teammates had open looks to help kickstart the Pistons’ rhythm. Cunningham helped Duncan Robinson hit a few shots early, and he was one of seven Detroit players to reach double-digit scoring on Friday night.
Robinson hit a pair of three-pointers as he’s known to do, but the Pistons’ primary outside threat came from Marcus Sasser, who continued to benefit from a temporary move into the starting lineup. Sasser (16 points) connected on four triples for Detroit against the Grizzlies, and the Houston product offers an extra perimeter scorer for Cunningham to utilize as of late.
Javonte Green, who started the game for an injured Tobias Harris, also connected on multiple three-pointers, and Kevin Huerter did the same in what was a strong first half from the recent trade acquisition. Huerter logged 11 points, five rebounds and two assists versus Memphis, and he continued to show that his game is adaptable enough to fit what Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff is looking for.
Next up, the Pistons have a day off before taking their 48-18 squad north of the border for a 3:30 matchup with the Toronto Raptors on Sunday, March 15.
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