SALT LAKE CITY — It’s not often that the Pistons roll into Salt Lake City and pick up a win. It’s even more rare that they complete a season sweep of the Utah Jazz.
With a come-from-behind win in Detroit on Jan. 10, both feats were in play with a victory on Friday night.
The Pistons played close for most of the night, but couldn’t pull ahead in the final minutes, and the Jazz held on for a 111-101 win at Vivint Arena. The loss drops the Pistons to 1-2 on their four-game western road trip, with the finale at Denver on Sunday night.
Cade Cunningham had 25 points, six rebounds, five assists and three blocks, Trey Lyles 16 points and five rebounds and Rodney McGruder 15 points and four rebounds for the Pistons (11-34).
The Pistons were within 95-94 at the 6:35 mark of the fourth quarter, after a 3-pointer by McGruder and a floater by Josh Jackson. McGruder tied his career high with five 3-pointers. Rudy Gobert (24 points, 13 rebounds and four blocks) answered with a put-back and then a dunk for a three-point play.
Cunningham scored on a baseline jumper, but the Jazz kept the pressure on with a jumper by Bogdan Bogdanovic (23 points and six rebounds) and a put-back by Jordan Clarkson, who had 20 points.
Lyles had another 3-pointer at the 2:03 mark that pulled the Pistons within 105-101, but Mike Conley Jr. (19 points) put things away in the final minute. Conley scored on a drive and made two free throws to help give the Jazz some cushion.
