DETROIT — On the second game of a back-to-back, after an emotional win over at Toronto on Thursday night, if the Pistons weren’t hitting on all cylinders, it would be understandable. Their long week included five games in seven nights, including a pair of back-to-backs.
That’s not an easy path, especially with three of those games on the road.
The Pistons finished the string with a strong push, overcoming a six-point deficit in the final three minutes, and holding on against the Indiana Pacers, 111-106, on Friday night at Little Caesars Arena.
Saddiq Bey finished with 25 points and four assists, Cade Cunningham 20 points and nine rebounds and Marvin Bagley III 18 points and eight rebounds off the bench for the Pistons (17-47).
The Pacers (22-43) moved ahead, 105-99, after a 3-pointer by Malcolm Brogdon (26 points, five rebounds and four assists) and a dunk by Jalen Smith (12 points and 11 rebounds), with 2:56 left.
The Pistons answered with back-to-back 3-pointers by Cunningham and Bey to tie it at with 1:40 left. Isaiah Jackson (12 points and 12 rebounds) made one of two free throws to give the Pacers the lead, but Cunningham scored on a drive to move back in front.
The Pacers didn’t score the rest of the way, and the Pistons got two free throws each from Jerami Grant (eight points, five rebounds and five assists) and Bey in the final 20 seconds to put the game away.
The Pistons started the fourth quarter with a 3-pointer from Killian Hayes, but the Pacers took control with a 10-1 run, including a pair of baskets from Duane Washington Jr. (16 points) and 2 of 4 free throws from Jackson.
Bagley ended the run with a lay-in and foul, but he missed the free throw and didn’t complete the three-point play, but Bey followed with a 3-pointer to tie the game at 98.
In the first quarter, the Pistons were playing some of their best ball of the season, posting 39 points in the period, and they had a seven-point lead. Bey had 14 of his points in the first period.
