In their preseason opener at Little Caesars Arena last night, the Detroit Pistons engineered an 18-point second half comeback to lodge a 109-107 win over the Phoenix Suns thanks to their signature defensive pressure. Rookie point guard Ebuka Okorie put the exhibition on ice with a game-winner that left just seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, and Detroit sealed a 1-0 start to their 2026 preseason campaign. 

Although the game script didn’t match what the Pistons envisioned, head coach J.B. Bickerstaff delivered a fiery speech at halftime that kicked Detroit into gear for the third quarter. In that frame, the Pistons clawed their way back to make it a one possession game entering the fourth, and that’s when Detroit gave the keys to Okorie to close out the contest. 

The former Stanford Cardinal entered the game with 10:05 remaining in the fourth and served as a steadying force as the Pistons incrementally pulled ahead of the Suns. Okorie looked sharp in his preseason debut for Detroit, but there were several other performances worth breaking down as well. 

Even with Cade Cunningham on the floor, Pistons wing Ausar Thompson took the ball up the court several possessions in a row to initiate offense in the halfcourt for Detroit. Bickerstaff mentioned a desire for Thompson to handle the rock more often after the game, so look for that tactical lever to be pulled throughout the preseason. 

As a scorer, Thompson connected on three mid-range pull-ups during the contest, which is a wrinkle that could help Detroit take a step forward this year. Thompson can get to his spots so easily that a reliable jumper would serve him wonders, and the fourth-year pro’s mechanics looked more fluid and comfortable against the Suns. 

Though the veteran big man likely expected a more controlled Pistons debut, John Collins exuded some strength and toughness during his first quarter altercation with Dillon Brooks, a known agitator. Collins stood up for himself after some physical back-and-forth action, and the Little Caesars Arena crowd ate it up with raucous cheers. 

From a skill perspective, Collins finished a reverse alley-oop, battled in the paint for second-chance looks should help the Pistons stretch the floor this season. At times, Collins flexed to the five in small-ball lineups, but that strategy is still a work in progress for Detroit— perfect for the preseason. 

Logging a team-high 24 minutes and 14 points on the night, Ron Holland II was a defensive menace for the Suns to deal with all night long. Once Okorie sealed the victory, Holland wound up with seven stocks to his name (five steals, two blocks) in what was a suffocating on-ball effort from the third-year forward. 

Although Holland and Thompson were generally staggered on Monday night, the former did the best he could to mimic the latter’s defensive pressure and playmaking ability against Phoenix in the cross-conference battle. Holland ended the night with four rebounds and one assist to complement his scoring effort, and now the Pistons have four days to regroup before facing the Washington Wizards on the road at 7 pm on Saturday, Oct. 10.