NEW LOOK PISTONS vs THUNDER – Duncan ROBINSON – Caris LEVERT – NBA 2K25
Oklahoma City starting group. The four and the five, the lengthy pair of Homegrren and Hartinstein. In the back court, we’ll see Gilas Alexander and Caruso. And it’s Williams at the small forward position. And for the Pistons, the backcourt pair will be Cunningham and Ivy. Thompson and Harris are their forwards. And it’s Duran in at the center filling out the middle. A Stan, this should be a fun one. A clash at the center position. Yeah, and Kevin, the way the game has changed, you know, we don’t see these kind of big men matchups much anymore. And so, it’s great to see one where two great big guys going at it. And, you know, they’re going to go after each other. And Stan, you know what you’re talking about. You’ve had the opportunity to coach some great big men. Oh, I have. I mean, I had Shaquille O’Neal, Dwight Howard, Andre Drummond. I seem to always have good centers. And really just a great play to sacrifice his body and take the charge. Gilas Alexander against Cunningham. And stolen by Williams. Oh, and a fast break for Oklahoma City. Here’s Gilas Alexander and foul on the shot. So he’ll get a chance at the line and able to get himself to the line. SGA so crafty inside there to get the contact. Greg, seems like we always talk about Shay Gilis Alexander’s offensive side, but when it comes to deflections and steals, his defense, he he’s one of the best. Yeah, his two-way ability is sometimes overlooked in the mainstream media, but people in the know how good of a defender he is. That’s good from Gilgus Alexander. And this guy just does everything. Scores, passes, good rebounder, just an allaround terrific basketball player. Gilg Alexander hits them both. He stands since 2009. The Pistons have just two playoff appearances. Yeah, that’s true, Kevin. And they got swept in both of those playoff appearances. They haven’t won a playoff game since 2008. And with all the lottery picks they’ve made recently, their fans are itching to see some progress. Now, here’s Gilis Alexander following the miss by Kate Cunningham. This is why SGA is a focal point of this offense because of that ability to score. Cunningham passes to Thompson. Ivy on the wing. Lets a floater go. That’s in coming off the assist from Thompson. Yeah, it took just enough off of it for the floater. And so it’s Williams who brings it up for the Thunder. It’s a three-point game. Pass to Gilas Alexander and a kind roll that time off the rim as that one falls. Gilas Alexander’s got seven points. Duran with it. Back to Ivy. There’s Luan to Duran. An emphatic Lu jam. He pulls off the Houdini to make that catch and slam it through. Stupendous alleyoop. Getting the latest now from our sideline reporter, David Aldridge. David, it’s all yours. Take it away. Well, I had a chance to talk with head coach JB Bickerstaff. He said SGA has this special ability to lull a defender into a slower pace and then suddenly make a quick move that leaves everybody just standing there. Coach feels the attention has to be on him. He wants to force somebody else to beat them. Guys, thank you, David. Free throw drops for Homegrren. And Homegrren possesses skyhigh potential. His length and versatility making him such an intriguing prospect. [Applause] Both good from the line that time. Well, he’s been very good at the line and we all know free throws can make or break you in the end. Pass to Harris. Back to Thompson. [Applause] And just under two and a half minutes elapsed here in the first. moves back up Ivy. It’s tipped [Applause] to the inside. Well timed pass and he goes straight to the bucket for the layup. Just setting the tone with an aggressive move to the rag. And where’s the help defensively? Well, when you are the aggressor this early, it is intimidating. And timeout called by JB Bakerstaff. This will give him a chance to discuss some potential alterations. [Applause] Cunningham kicks to Thompson down low. Here’s Durham. It’s rebounded by Hartinstein. The Thunder leading by seven. Caruso looking for an opening. Pass to Homegrren. Puts up a three. That doesn’t go and he’s 0 for one from the field. Thompson against Williams. And plenty of contact on the shot. So, two free throws coming up. Clever move by the young guy. Thompson sticks with the shot and gets fouled. This is his first free throw of the game. And the first one drops. [Applause] Enzo Johnson Thompson nails both of them. Here’s Caruso. First quarter of action. Just under three and a half minutes played to the left side wing. Harris against Homegrren. Rejected by Harris and using his long arms there to his advantage. Opponents got to be mindful of Harris’s defensive capabilities. Now here’s Cunningham. Still scoreless shooting foul. As the whistle blows, he’ll shoot two free throws. That one on Gilis Alexander. Coach, it didn’t take long for K. Cunningham to establish himself as the leader of this team. Well, Kevin, he’s very mature for his age. He was put in a position with all young guys around him, so he had to step up. And I’ve never heard Kate Cunningham blame anyone else for the team struggles. He’s got everything you could want in a team leader. First free throw is good. And it’s easy to see why so many are so high on Cunningham. A talented guard who can do a little bit of everything. miss. And so Cunningham nails both of them and Gilis Alexander’s got the ball here for the Oklahoma City Thunder. Three-point lead. Hardenstein with a screen on Cunningham from deep. Gilch Alexander [Applause] driving in. Two free throws coming up and they call the shooting foul. And you really have to appreciate the steady effort of Gilis Alexander. The game looks like it comes easy to him, but he is one of the hardest workers on the floor. And the first one at the line is good. The Pistons making a change here. Lever’s checked in. [Applause] So, he hits one of two from the strike. And when you take a look at Jaylen Duran, a big man, Greg, who seems to get better each and every season. Well, you know, he averaged a double double in his second season. I especially like how hard he goes after rebounds. This guy has a bright future in this league. Just five to shoot. Duran. And Duran slams it in. Well, he’s a bit of an undersized center. However, his leaping ability can certainly mask that. Now, here’s Williams. Nothing on the board. Gilg Alexander. That’s a two-pointer. Duran pulls it in. Well, that one should be in his wheelhouse, but just off the mark. Harris outside. Pistons passing it around. Levert sets a screen for Harris. Can’t tie it up as that one’s no good. The Thunder have gotten three of eight shots to fall for them here in the first quarter. The kick out to Williams. He wants the P. Holgren wide open, hits it from three-point range. Holgrren’s got five points so far. And playing up tempo prolevel ball can be hard for some guys, but Homegrrim has easily made the transition and JB Bickerstaff is called a timeout. He’s made the decision he wants to huddle up with his guys. Robinson’s checked in for Asar Thompson. [Applause] Detroit with the ball. Trailing by five. Ivy passes to Harris. got a piece of it and oh boy, a lot of contact there, but he gets the call and will shoot two. And whenever Harris is aggressive like this, I think it’s for the best because he has that ability to attract contact. Pistons have been solid at the Lion so far. Four for four. That’s good from Harris. And Oklahoma City making a change here. Joe’s checked in. Big rebound. Got to get it. Big rebel. Big. That one falls. So he hits both of them. The Thunder lead by three. Gilis Alexander surveying the D. Hartenstein passes to Gilis Alexander and it’s blocked. Shoots over Duran. Gilis Alexander. Can’t get it to go. Ivy against Gilis Alexander and he gets the whistle. Two free throws coming up. As the son of two professional athletes, Stan Jaden Ivy was raised around sports. He knows the culture. Yeah, that’s an understatement, Kevin. His grandfather and father both played professional football. His mom played in the WNBA. She’s now a college coach, but she also spent some time as an assistant with the Grizzlies. This guy has had sports from the time he was born. That free throw no good. And you have to appreciate the allout effort Jay Na’vi gives you on the court. He he works so hard to find ways to get involved and prove he belongs here. Wallace has checked in for Oklahoma City and he sinks the second. Here’s Caruso. He has yet to score. Pass to Hartenstein. Wallace with the ball. Williams kicks to Wallace. To the paint. The kick out to Williams. Misses the three. The Pistons trailing. Here’s Levert. And a little luck that time, but it drops. And it’s clear that Levert has tons of confidence, especially in his ability to drain jumpers. Wallace outside Caruso a screen on Levert [Applause] outside. Williams just five on the clock from outside the arc. Sinks the triple and the Thunder lead by three. And that’s a high percentage look when the D doesn’t fight over the screen. Yeah, it’s certainly worth it to disrupt the offense. Coaches notice that extra effort. Now here’s Levert outside. Robinson. That’s good. And it’s Levert with the assist. Robinson’s got the game tied up here for the Pistons. [Applause] Harris against Williams. Pass to Hartinstein. [Applause] Great defense that time from Duran. Not really what we expected. You know, he wants that one back. Three-pointer. Levert. That shot off. I can’t believe he missed that three regardless. That’s not a shot the defense should be given. [Applause] Hartinstein with the screen for Williams. There’s three-pointers off the mark. Detroit’s gone one and two from long range in the first quarter. And Duran slams it in. And not only does he get all the way to the rim in traffic, but how about he goes to the reverse. You got to be kidding me. That was awesome. Now here’s Williams. Martinstein with the screen for Williams. They get the rebound and the bucket is good. Three-point play chance here for him. Relentless effort creates the second chance opportunity for Oklahoma City. They have hit most of their free throws tonight. Five of six. And one of the highlights last year for this group was the fact that they were so efficient from the charity strike. That’s a huge factor. Aaron Wiggins, he’s checked in for Alex Caruso. [Applause] And the free throw no good. And so LeVert will bring it up for the Detroit Pistons. A moment now to hear from our sideline reporter, Hall of Famer David Aldridge. David, Kevin, thanks. Obviously the Pistons in the midst of a long rebuild. Two seasons in a row at the bottom of the league standings. Last season they had the worst record in this once proud franchise’s history. That counts the record setting 28game losing streak that they had. It’s pretty clear that this could be a long road back to redemption. Kevin, could is the operative word. This could be indeed. David, thank you. Excellent on both ends of that play. Yeah, the steal was sharp, but the slam topped it off. And that is why you want to run off turnovers. hit down the floor before the defense is set. Now here is Harris [Applause] and foul on the shot. He’ll shoot two at the free throw line. That one on Williams. And you like how physical Harris can get inside. Always looking to initiate contact on offense. Now let’s take a moment to get your guys take on the scoring so far for Oklahoma City. Well, the coaching staff’s game plan is very clear. Move the ball on the perimeter and shoot the shots with no hesitation. And you can’t turn it over against this team. That’s a recipe for disaster. And we’re seeing the results of that. And he makes the first and it’s been an outstanding game for them at the free throw line. Not missing their chances when they get them. Assar Thompson, he’s checked in for the Pistons. Marcus Jasser comes in for Robinson. Wiggins with it [Applause] inside. It’s deflected and here comes Harris leading the fast break and it’s Thompson with the jam. The craftiness on his finish helped Thompson grab the whistle on that play. This will be his third free throw shot of the game. That free throw good from Thompson. Thunder trailing by three. Higgins outside. [Applause] Williams against Harris to the middle. Nice pass. Nice catch and a resounding dunk. Putting that pass right in his stride. Didn’t have to slow up and was able to complete the play. Stewart a screen. It’s Levert with the drive. [Applause] Stewart with a screen on Wiggins. Here’s Thompson and blocked. That one goes careening off the glass. It’s Joe on the wing. Wallace outside. 151 left here in the opening quarter. Six to shoot. Here’s Williams. That’s tipped. They retain possession. It’s good. There’s a minute 34 left to play in the first quarter. Now here is Levert. Pass to Sasser. Higgins against Thompson. Five to shoot. Detroit needs to get off a shot and the dunk by Stewart. guys back and forth this first half and this could continue to go back and forth the entire way [Applause] to the inside out to Wallace. Fires the three. Here’s Williams. It’s hauled in by Stewart. And there hasn’t been anything easy for him in this period. Well, the offense has to look for ways to get him easier shots. better selections. You have to be set up for success. And it’s Levert missing. I tell you what, the defense should send Christmas cards for that miss. And here is Wallace. No scoring in this one from 12 ft out. Hit some rim on the way in and the buckets good. And the Thunder lead by one. And so Levert will bring it up for the Pistons. down low. Here’s Stewart and the dunk by Stewart. Oh, and how about squeezing the orange as tight as he could there before the stuff. Yeah, no way he’s going to lose that thing on the way up. A good close contest so far as we finish the first quarter, but Pistons on top. They lead by one. Live from Little Caesar’s Arena, you’re watching 2K Sports. And some good action in the books as we get back to the game that’s been pretty close here so far. And a closer look here at the scoring breakdown for the Pistons. Well, they keep finding ways to get to the free throw line. The defense is being overly aggressive and they’re baiting them into fouls. And the other thing I’ve been impressed with guys is their assertiveness at attacking the paint, trying to hunt for those high percentage looks. Oklahoma City trailing. We’ve got Thompson. Marcus Hasser is out there with Caris Levert. Then there’s Isaiah Stewart. That’s the five on the floor for the Pistons. Now here’s Williams. That shot missing. Good D by Thompson. Now Levert. and taken away by Wallace. Pass to Williams. Really the right play defensively. If you can’t block, force him to the line. It’s his first trip to the line. [Applause] and that one falls for Williams. Greg, you look at today’s point guards, so many different types that can be effective. And there’s a lot more freedom for point guards to kind of explore the parameters of their game. Sometimes it’s steady in an offense, other times it’s to ignite it. He’s off on the second. Well, they had a chance for the lead right there, but we’re all evened up. Right wing perimeter. Sasser finds Thompson. Back to Sasser. Lobbed up there for Thompson. And it’s Thompson with the jam. I think the rim could be 12 feet off the ground and Thompson could still go get the lob. Outside Gilgis Alexander. Here’s Wallace. Great D that time from Levert. The Pistons leading. Thompson outside. Pass to Sasser. It’s stolen by Gil Alexander. And that’ll be two free throws coming up. officials on the call with the foul. And Gilus Alexander understands how to draw contact especially when he’s looking to score. For Oklahoma City, they have shot 67% from the line going six of nine. The first one falls Jang. He’s checked in for Oklahoma City. And that one goes in. Two from the line that time. So it’s the Pistons now. Here’s Levert. Thompson. A screen on Wallace. Levert with it from 12 ft out. Down to five on the shot clock. Here’s Sasser again. The Pistons score. It’s a neck-and-neck game in Detroit. Up top, Chang. And yep, finally drops after rolling around the rim. Chang’s got his first two points of the night. Well, when you move the ball, you open up the defense. Great job to make the unselfish play. Pass to Stewart. Aaron Wiggins. He’s checked in for Jang. Now Sasser [Music] inside. Here’s Thompson. The shot will not fall. Wiggins with some nice deep pass to Gilis Alexander. Quarter two and just under two and a half minutes gone by. That doesn’t go in. Had a chance though to take the lead. And it’s Thompson with the ball. He’ll bring it up for Detroit. And stolen by Wiggins. Joe in the corner. Pass to Wallace and the call will be against Caris Levert. That is his first foul of the game. And now only one away from being in the penalty. And the Thunder making a switch here. Dorts checked in. Wiggins passes to Dort. Here’s Gilis Alexander out to the right wing. Marries it from three-point range. Nine points in the game so far. Pistons trail by three. And JB Bickerstaff is called a timeout. He is going to have a discussion here on the sideline. Paul Reeds checked in for Detroit. Hartinstein, he’s checked in for Oklahoma City. Alex Cruso comes in for Isaiah Joe. Pass to Sasser. That’s tipped. Gil Alexander with the steel. Here’s Wiggins and he misses the fast break layup. I mean, that can happen to anyone, but it’s ugly every time it does. Yeah, that’s one he’d like to have back. Those are the opportunities you have to convert. Sasser with it. Covered by Wiggins. Lock at six. Three-pointer on the way. It’s rebounded by Oklahoma City. [Applause] It’s Dort on the wing. Avert defending. Dort gets to Wiggins. Pass to Caruso. Now here’s Gojis Alexander [Applause] and the call on the shot. It sends him to the line. Hey Stan, I’ve always wondered back when you were coaching, college or pro, what was your defensive philosophy? Well, I think first of all, Kevin, we always wanted to take away the easy baskets. In other words, we’re going to get back in transition, not give away fast breaks. We are going to try to protect the paint and make sure we’re not giving away layups. And we didn’t want to foul unnecessarily and give away free throws. That free throw no good. And the Pistons making a change here. Robinson’s checked in. [Applause] And he’s good on the second. Pistons trail by four. Levert the pass to Reed. Back to Levert. Pistons passing it around. Reed against Hartinstein. Levert from outside hits the three-point bomb. Levert’s got his second basket of the night from range. Levert’s one of those guys you have to respect his shot. He He makes enough from beyond where you have to honor it. Outside for Gilas Alexander. Second chance shot. Basket made. That’s his third of the game. He’s three for nine now. And boy, he’s really in a groove. Dominant performance last game. Same thing this time out. Yeah, for sure. He is just oozing confidence. Thinks every shot is going in. They should just keep running sets for him. Now here’s Caruso. Carris Lever unable to get his last shot to go. Reed against Wiggins. Pass to Gilg Alexander from outside. off the mark. Pistons trail by three. And here’s Levert. It’s Robinson high post. Now Levert. [Applause] It’s rebounded by Hartinstein. Hartinstein’s got nine rebounds now tonight. Gildas Alexander passes to Hartinstein. Now here’s Caruso. Hasn’t made one yet. Stolen by Robinson to the right side. They’re coming. They’re coming. Pass to Levert. Shot clock at six in the corner. Reed with it. Back to Levert. Takes a three. It’s rebounded by Hartinstein. Hartinstein’s got double-digit rebounds now in the game. Dort passes to Gilg Alexander. Hartinstein finds Caruso and he uses the glass on the layup and the Thunder lead by five. And they’ve repeatedly probed inside in the first half, guys, and and it’s paid off. And so Levert will bring it up for the Pistons. Pass to Reed. Here is Robinson. [Applause] Stewart with it. Covered by Wiggins. Stewart passes to Robinson. Detroit no good that time either. The Thunder leading by five. Wiggins kicks to Gilis Alexander. Gilas Alexander sets the screen for Coruso and a miss there on the triple for Detroit. They’ve gone just 33% from the field in what’s been a cold second quarter for them. Just three of nine. Levert against Gilas Alexander and the shot goes in. Levert’s got five points in the quarter and the gracefulness with which LeVert shoots the basketball. He He makes that tricky floater look easy. And Mark Dagno calls timeout. He’s ready to talk things through with the team [Applause] and the Pistons. An entirely new group now out there. The Thunder also changing it up. Homegr for Wiggins. And it’s Williamson for Gilis Alexander. pass to Hartenstein. Homegrren in the corner. Williams has a screen for Caruso. Traps in the train. Caruso’s got five. Well, when you give him room like that, just expect it to go in. Cunningham passes to Thompson. Now, here’s Ivy defended by George. Shot from the wing, fouled on the shot, and picks up two points. So, one free throw coming up and one of the best guard finishers. Ivy relentless when attacking the rim for Detroit. They have shot 10 of 11 at the line. Nice work so far for them. Stan, I’ve always admired you come from coaching family. Was there a point growing up you knew you wanted to be a coach? Yeah, I look, I loved being around the game and so two things happened that drove me into coaching. Number one, I loved baseball and I couldn’t hit one. So that was out and I wasn’t a good enough basketball player to go on that way. So if I wanted to stay involved in the game, that’s when I knew I wanted to be a coach. But your dad had a little bit of that in his background. And I say a little kind of tongue and cheek, right? He was a guy that led the way and you’re interested. Yeah. My dad coached for over 40 years and I think he had a great passion for it and always used to tell us that he never actually felt like he worked a day in his life. He loved it so much. Following in his footsteps. Terrific story that those plays can make a difference in a game like this. Well, you know it’s going to fire up Greg. everybody on that bench. And guys, you cannot allow that in a close game. You have to make it harder than that. And with an update from the sidelines, let’s check in with David Aldridge. Kevin, thank you. Tobias Harris over the course of his career has played a lot at both forward positions. He says, “I’m comfortable playing both of them. I’m not big on the position thing. I’m versatile.” Kevin, he’s just a basketball player and a very, very good one. I would agree, David. I know you like him. We like him as well. A very skilled one at that. Thank you very much. The first free throw is good. Isaiah Joe, he’s checking for the Thunder. Got to get it. Let’s get it. And so he makes both from the line. Oklahoma City’s gone two for five from three-point land since the end of the first [Applause] back to Williams. [Applause] Lets it go with a three and they recover it. And that one’s good. Caruso. Well, hey, you give him some daylight, he can knock it down. And here’s Thompson. 10 points for him. Pass to Harris. Cunningham for three. The Thunder pull it in. Hartinstein’s got 11 rebounds in the game. Here’s Williams. Shot is good. Off the back rim and in. And it’s a five-point Oklahoma City lead. Yeah. so skilled offensively. Getting the ball in his hands is generally a good idea. Cunningham. A screen on Williams. Here’s Harris and contact on the shot. So, he’ll be shooting free throws here. And this is his fourth trip to the free throw line tonight. And it’s a super first half for him at the free throw line. First one falls for Wallace has checked in for Dor. So he makes one of two as the second one misses. Oklahoma City leading by four. His first shot coming late. Detroit with the rebound. Thompson’s got five rebounds tonight. Cunningham outside. There’s 154 left to play in the first half. This one for three. Sinks the three-pointer. Cunningham’s got five minutes. And defense has to guard K in the corner. He will take and make that shot. Pass to Caruso. Oklahoma City moving the ball around [Applause] with the teardrop. Martinstein passes to Wallace. Wallace with a screen on Cunningham. Five on the clock. Caruso kicks to Williams over Harris. Williams. That’s good. Williams has got four points this quarter. Pistons trail by three. Ivy passes to Cunningham. Back to Ivy. And too much time in the lane. They get called for the 3second violation. [Applause] The Thunder leading by three. Here’s Caruso. Eight points for him. So the wing on the left. Wallace outside. Williams. That’s a two-pointer again. Oklahoma City. There’s 39 seconds left now here in the second. Caruso against Cunningham. Pass to Ivy. Durham with a screen on Wallace. Here’s Harris. He’s guarded by Williams. [Applause] He’s been punishing them at the line in this one. Going seven of eight. And he knocks down the first one. And Oklahoma City making a change here. Wiggins has checked in. and Harris drops them both. Here’s Williams. He’s got nine. Hardenstein with the screen on Harris. Williams outside and right as the buzzer sounded, he just dunked it right down. Wow. And great move there to ensure they end the quarter on a strong note. And that’s it for the first half of action. What’s been a very close game here. Thunder lead by five. And we’ll be back right after halftime to get the third quarter underway. [Applause] We’ve got second half action for you. And if the next couple quarters are similar to the first, this one could go down to the last possession. You know, Shay Gildas Alexander has been exceptional here tonight, guys. Well, he he left his mark on that first half with his quick hands, great sense of timing to pile up the steals. And because of that, I expect to see a huge emphasis on ball control moving forward. And if you’re just joining us, we’ve played through the first half in a game that’s been fairly even so far. So for Oklahoma City right now, sharing the wing spots, it’ll be Caruso and Williams. the four and the five. The lengthy pair of Homegrren and Hartinstein. And it’s Gilgis Alexander in at the point. So it’s Detroit now. The Thunder making the shot. Pass to Ivy. And there’s the foul. It’ll go on Alex Caruso. That’ll be his second foul of the game. [Applause] Ivy with it. right here. Back to Thompson. Six on the shot clock. It’s rebounded by Hartinstein. Hartinstein’s got rebound number 15 here tonight. Homegrren finds Hartinstein and a missed late. Pistons trail by seven. Here’s Ivy and he gets the whistle. Two free throws coming up. and Ivy just so difficult to corral. Sometimes you you have to foul him and hope he misses. He’s shooting free throws number four and five here. And in last season he made good on about three out of every four free throw attempts. Uh and last time I checked I think that’s 75%. Get it. And that one falls for Ivy. The first thing people mention about Ivy is that explosiveness. The the first step allows him to get downhill and really makes him effective in those ISO situations. Got to get it. Big rebel. Let’s get it. Get it. Get it. That’s also good. So, he hits both free throws. And here’s Gilis Alexander. He’ll bring it up for the Oklahoma City Thunder. It’s a five-point game. Caruso kicks to Gilis Alexander. Beyond the arc from deep. Williams good on the triple. Williams has got the lead up to eight now for Oklahoma City. Nice find by Gilas Alexander. He reads the floor so well. Thompson outside and he can’t answer back. the three-pointer offline. The Thunder have gone two of three from the field to start the second half. Homegrren the pass to Gilas Alexander and using the defender aggression against him. Gilis Alexander with a savvy move for Oklahoma City. They have gone nine of 13 from the line. [Applause] That’s good from Gilg Alexander. Gilgis Alexander hits them both. Just over a minute and a half have passed here in the third quarter. Thompson outside. There’s the one to Duran. [Music] Williams against Thompson. Here’s Caruso. The rebound by Ivy. Oh, you you’ve got to be able to deliver when you get a bunny like that. That’s just too easy of a shot to miss. Thompson against Williams and foul on the shot. So, he’ll get a chance at the line. That one on Williams. What I appreciated about Thompson is his recognition. He knows when to force the issue and when to pull back. No good on that one. And the second free throw good. The Thunder leading by nine. Gilas Alexander with it. Now defended by Cunningham. Offensive rebound. Pass to Homegrren. Gilas Alexander with it. Hardenstein with a screen on Ivy. Lock at six. Here’s Caruso. Now here’s Homer. Hardenstein with a screen on Thompson. Good. 14 points here for Jaylen Williams. Oh, nice job there from Hogram. His guys appreciate when they’re open. He gets him the ball and timeout called by JB Bakerstaff. He wants to check in with his team and regroup. [Applause] Here [Applause] is Harris. He’s got nine. Fades away. Bucket is good. Cunningham’s got seven. Oh, nice to see Cunningham strike from mid-range. He obviously isn’t afraid of mixing up his offense. Now here’s Homegrren. He has five. Back to Gilas Alexander. Count the bucket. Coming off a perfectly placed assist. 19 points for Shay. Gilas Alexander. Pass to Ivy. Now Duran and he gets the whistle for the 3second call and it’s easy to give up after a play like that. But this team needs to keep fighting. Yeah, it’s definitely a momentum shifter, but it’s time to refocus, make smart decisions, and start fighting their way back. The Thunder leading by 11 in the third quarter with just over 3 and 1/2 minutes off the clock. And there’s the 3second call. This one on the defense. He’s been spending quite a bit of time at the foul line. This is trip number six. And you know guys, he had a big game at the free throw line in their last outing. [Applause] And no good on the technical. So unable to pick that one up. [Applause] Just over three and a half minutes through the third quarter of play now. Shot clock at six and two free throws coming up. Unable to get that one to go with all the contact. That’s on Jaylen Durham. He’s been racking up good numbers of free throws, shooting eight for 11. That’s good from Gilgis Alexander. [Applause] and he makes both free throws. Pistons trail by 13. Cunningham kicks to Harris. Back to Cunningham. Good D by Gilgus Alexander. Here’s Oklahoma City now. They’re on a 13-5 run. Here we are sizing up GA Jaylen Williams in his shooting has got to be his biggest strength. Absolutely. He’s great at spacing the floor for his teammates with his catch and shoot abilities, but he’s equally gifted shooting off the grip. And that’ll be two free throws coming up. Officials on the call with the foul. Oh, tough stuff from Cunningham inside. Enduring the foul and able to get that one off. And look at how the hustle game has been going for Oklahoma City. Well, you got to love their aggressiveness on the offensive glass. They have just refused to give up on any of the plays and they’ve really been able to get out in transition and produce. The defense hasn’t had an answer for this uptempo pace. First free throw is good. Enzo Cunningham nails both of them. Oklahoma City leading by 13. Pulgrren with a screen on Cunningham. Gilis Alexander and there’s another one for the Thunder. And this is SGA’s role. He He’s out here to score and score often. Harris outside. Pass to Ivy. Watch the screen for three. Thunder with the rebound. Now Caruso. Ivy defending. Caruso. No good. Detroit’s gone 0 of2 from deep to start things here in the second half. Ivy passes to Cunningham. Nailed from three-point land. Cunningham’s got 12. And you see that one motion shot. Cunningham very consistent from distance. Cunningham against Gilis Alexander. Drives to the hoop and foul on the shot. He’ll shoot two at the free throw line. Yeah, the defender all over. Nice numbers tonight at the free throw line shooting 10 of 13. That’s good from Gilgis Alexander. Marcus Hers checked in for Cunningham. And Oklahoma City also making a switch. Joe’s checked in. [Applause] Gilis Alexander hits them both. Pistons trail by 14. Harris outside. Duran with it. He has six. Pass to Ivy front. Pass the arc. It’s rebounded by Hartinstein. Hartinstein’s got his 20th rebound here tonight. Saw that coming. And that one’s good. Caruso. Now Zasser. Duran with it. Now here’s Ivy. Pass to Sasser. The three. That’s in coming off the assist from Thompson. Thompson’s got three assists in the game. Outside Williams to the paint. Here’s Hartinstein. Back to Williams. It’s hauled in by Harris. And so it’s Harris who will bring it up for Detroit. Trailing by 13. Here’s Sasser. And it’s blocked by Kilis Alexander. And great read there by SGA. Knew the shot was coming and just trusted his instincts. They get it back for Oklahoma City. They’ve gone seven for 16 the second half from the field shooting a bit under 50%. Thompson with the rebound. Thompson’s got six rebounds in the game. Sasser finds Thompson and the rebound goes to the Thunder. At one point they led by 16. Pass to Joe. Back to Gilas Alexander. Fires for three. Joe good. And the Thunder lead by 16. I love that they’re continuing to attack despite being up big. Yeah, they’re being absolutely relentless, building this lead in every way possible. Now, here is Harris. Nine points in the game so far. Back to Ivy. Here’s the teardrop. It’s rebounded by Hartinstein. Caruso up top, defended by Duran. Joe Good. Well, check out that assist. That’s a pair of teammates that are clearly on the same page. Pass to Duran. Pistons passing it around. Thompson looking for an opening. Here’s Harris. Williams with the defensive effort. Doesn’t register as a block, but he did everything you want defending that shot. Well, you know, sometimes the most pivotal plays don’t always go on the stat sheet. Now, here’s Williams. 19-point lead, which is the largest margin in the game. It’s stolen by Duran. Pass to Harris, and the basket is good. And he’s got a chance here for one more at the line. And that’s the kind of play that fires up your team. Harris with the strength to finish through contact. 90% from the line of the game shooting nine of 10. Both teams deciding to change it up. shooting one. Miss on the miss. That’s good from Harris. The Thunder leading by 16. Pass to Caruso. the now Joe Williams with the ball. Shot clock at five and the Thunder. Another three. And that pick takes the D totally out of the equation. Yeah, you’ve got to lock and trail hard. You can’t allow him a clean look from there. Now here is Harris. He’s got 12 into the lane. Pass to Stewart. Got a hand on it. Here’s Joe. Here’s Williams. Rejected by Harris. Sasser with it. Five points in the game. Stewart. A screen for Harris. [Applause] And the rebound goes to the Thunder. Williams has got his fifth rebound right now in the game. Down low and he makes no mistake on the slam dunk. Oh, he is a highlight reel unto himself, guys. That could be a contender for the dunk of the year. I think 143 left in the third. Here’s Sasser. Gilg Alexander covering for three. Harris. It’s rebounded by Oklahoma City. Pass to Williams. Deflects the pass and it’s out of bounds. Oklahoma City able to retain possession here. You love the pressure he’s putting on them. Almost had that steal. Yeah, deflections are a stat that a lot of teams track. Disrupting the offense’s rhythm and flow. Detroit making a switch here. Reeds checked in. Then for the Thunder, Wiggins comes in for Alex Caruso and Wallace subbed in for Gilg Alexander. Here’s Joe coming. Pick on the wing. Williams guarded by Stewart. That’s good from Walls on the assist by Williams. Williams has got his eighth assist in the game. Well, all of us coaches, we love when you can create looks in close. Now here’s Levert. He’s got seven. Stewart misses. And what should have been a simple pass and finish ends up at a missed opportunity on that alley attempt. Yeah, that just comes down to the timing being off between those two guys. Here’s Williams. 17 points in the game, guys. They’re looking for a way to score here. Yeah, they’ve had a tough time taking the lid off. That one goes. Count it. And got to push Levert out of that area because he’s very comfortable looking to score from there. Here is Williams. Caris Levert making his last shot. Back to Williams. And the layup’s good off the glass. Williams has got 10 points now just in this quarter. And Matador defense, that’s one of the easiest shots he is ever going to see. An unorganized defense like that is not going to help them close this deficit. And here’s Levert. Nine points in the game so far. Lets it go from deep. It’s not going to go for him. And so it’s the Oklahoma City Thunder in very good shape with a 23-point lead at the end of the quarter. And with as many three-pointers as they’ve drained, it’s easy to see why they’re on the cusp of a blowout. We’ve got more in store for you right after this. And let’s take this chance now to show you the State Farm assist of the game. Just true artistry right there. I mean, great decision on where to go with the ball. And how about the perfect delivery? Wow, that was an absolute masterpiece of an assist. He knew exactly when to deliver the ball and it made for a beautiful score. And with the fourth quarter upon us, time is running out for this game to become competitive. They’ve got Marcus Jasser, Isaiah Stewart out there with Reed. Then it’s Robinson. That’s the group for Detroit right now. For the three. Cranes the three-pointer. Robinson’s got the fourth quarter going with the first basket of the period here for the Pistons. Now here’s Gilis Alexander. He’s covered by Sasser to the inside. Some solid defense from Reed. Pistons trail by 20. pass to Casser. Hey yo, right here Reed. A screen on Gilg Alexander. Kept alive. No question he got bumped on that shot. Two shots last on the first and he can’t get the first one. Dort, he’s checked in for Oklahoma City. good on the second free throw and we played through about a minute here in the fourth and so it’s Dort with it. He brings it up for Oklahoma City. Earlier they held a 23-point lead [Applause] to the middle. Oklahoma City moving it around. Unloads from nine and the bench shot is good. Pistons trail by 21. About a minute and a half through the fourth quarter now. Robinson passes to Reed. Six to shoot. 13 ft away. That shot off the Thunder leading by 21. There’s the steel. Outside Robinson. It’s stolen by Gil Alexander. The three ball and the rebound goes to the Pistons. Pass to Clintman. Back to Sasser. Here’s Clintman. Screen. And here is Robinson. Shot clock at six now. Reed. [Applause] Pass to Clintman. Second shot opportunity. A shot that time not on target. The Thunder have gone one of three from the field to start the fourth quarter. And the whistle blows. It’s going to be on Duncan Robinson. That’s his first foul. And really, these are some of the toughest calls an official has to make. Smith checked in for the Pistons. Caris Levert comes in for Marcus Hasser. Alex Caruso, he’s checked in for the Thunder. Whoops. Anticipated the pass. Turnover. [Applause] against the rim with a two-handed slam. Wow. And guys, that’s not as easy as he made it look. You’ve got to have some skills to pull that off. Well, he’s got plenty of those, that’s for sure. Now, here’s George right side. Gilis Alexander. [Applause] The shot comes out. Some solid defense from Reed. [Applause] A look at the clock. A little under three and a half minutes gone here in the fourth and it’s Levert missing. The Thunder leading by 19 points inside Wiggins. And it’s Wiggins with the jam. And he wasn’t about to do anything that would get him in trouble there. Nope. Up and in with a one-hand finish. The most basic possible. Now here’s Levert and he gets the basket. Officials blowing the whistle. to a chance at the line for one more. What a great touch on that shot from Levert. Even the foul can interrupt the rhythm of his mechanics for the Pistons. Stewart comes in for Smith and Kate Cunningham subbed in for Robinson. And Oklahoma City also making a switch. Kenri Williams. He’s checked in for Aaron Wiggins. And the free throw drops for Levert. The Thunder have gone two for five on field goal attempts in the fourth quarter. Now Caruso to the middle and that one is stuffed right through. My goodness, he is such a great dunker. Greg, a high riser. No doubt about it. Pistons trail by 20. Levert the pass to Cunningham. Levert sets a screen for Cunningham and the three ball is good. And I love how Cunningham dictates the pace. You can’t speed this guy up. He forces you to play at his speed. Now here’s Dors outside for Gilas Alexander. [Applause] Just five on the clock. Ring shot on the way and that one is off. Detroit’s gotten off four three-pointers in the final quarter and two of them have fallen. Cunningham’s shot is off. The Thunder leading by 17. Go look down. Pass to Williams. I see him. I see him. Now here’s Caruso and the call on the shot that sends him to the line. It’s on Caris Levert. Oh, the the officials are all over that one. [Applause] The free throw drops for Caruso. So, it’s both teams making substitutions here. and so Caruso nails both of them. Pistons trail by 19. Thompson outside. Back to Cunningham. takes the three and again Cunningham missing and close to making the defense pay for the lack coverage that time from deep. Gilis Alexander Duran pulls it in. Duran’s got rebound number seven for him tonight. Thompson passes to Duran, takes the alley pass and dunks it down. And the pass there floated it up to the precise spot it needed to be. And no messing around on the finish. He powers it through. Now here’s Dort. Here’s Gilis Alexander. The Thunder with another miss. The Pistons have gone five of 12 from the field entering the fourth quarter. Here’s Ivy. Harris outside. Pass to Ivy off the mark there with the three-point shot. Well, he wants to shoot his way out of this coal spill, but the struggles continue. Yeah, I get it. But you don’t want him forcing things. It’s better to get your shots within the flow of the offense. I like takes initiative because he’s capable of compromising defenders on the drive. No good on the free throw. So, both teams changing it up here. [Applause] He hits the second from the line. Pistons trail by 18. Guys, they’re looking for a spark here. Yeah, a cold stretch offensively for sure. That shot no good. The Thunder have gotten only three of their nine field goal attempts to go down since the end of the third. pretty cold down the stretch. Burries the long range jumper. And when you have Dort on your side, this is what he brings on the offensive end. Great off the catch and fire. Ivy with it. He’s picked up by Gilas Alexander. Yeah, easy call. Two shots last on the first push on the miss. Push it on the miss. The first free throw is good. Kay Cunningham’s checked in for the Pistons. And Oklahoma City with a change here too. Alex Caruso. He’s checked in for Dort. Second free throw. No good. The Thunder leading by 20. Outside Williams. Pass to Hartinstein. And here is Homegrren off target with his three. Thompson against Gilgis Alexander. Thompson dishes to Cunningham. Screen coming. And here is Harris defended by Homegrren. And it’s out of bounds. And last touch by Homegrren six. [Applause] That’s a two from Cunningham and he sinks that one hitting the back of the rim on the way in. And you can see why they continue to call Cunningham’s number once he’s flipped that switch. Let him go to work. Now here’s Williams. Back to Gilas Alexander. It’s stolen by Duran. Here’s Harris. Two free throws coming up and they call the shooting foul. [Applause] two two rebound. Got to get it. Big rebel. Big rebel. Let’s get it. Get it. Get it. And the first one at the line is good. Rebound. Got to get it. Let’s get it. Get it. Get it. He’s perfect from the line this time. Here’s Homegrren. Outside Gilgis Alexander Caruso kicks to Williams. The Thunder with another miss. Yeah, really unlike him to have this kind of game for three. Cunningham. Pass it to Ivy. Gets the three-pointer to fall. Ivy’s got four this quarter. And if Ivy can hit that shot with consistency, it really makes him a tough cover. Pass to Caruso to the inside. Gilgis Alexander. The kick out to Williams. Hartinstein with the screen for Williams. Hits from the high post. Williams has got 21 in the game. And it’s Harris with the ball for Detroit. 15-point game. Ivy with it. Cunningham with it. Gilg Alexander covering. Cunningham’s shot is off. Oklahoma City has gone into a funk from downtown in the fourth. Only one of their five three-pointers has found the bottom of the bucket. Money in the bank. Gilg Alexander is more than happy to try his luck from that spot. And here’s Ivy Pass to Cunningham. jacks up a three and Hungren pulls it down. Now Gilgus Alexander. Hartinstein passes to Williams and the Thunder. Another three. He is coldblooded. Drops the dagger. Piles on to what was already a big lead. And defensively that kind of effort is just not going to cut it. And JB Bickerstaff is called a timeout. And that timeout by coach was carefully measured, wanting to make sure that everybody is on the same page here. And now, let’s present our New Balance player of the game, Isaiah Hartenstein. And he’s provided them with a major mismatch on that low block tonight that they’ve been able to lean on his scoring in the paint. And if nothing else has worked, he he’s given him a reliable option on every possession. Teams need contributions from everybody to win on the road, not just the stars. And he’s done more than his share tonight. An outstanding performance. And the whistle blows. It’s going to be on Assar Thompson. That is his first foul of the game. Yeah, clearly a foul of frustration right there. Williams passes to Gilis Alexander over Cunningham. Gilis Alexander can’t get it to go. Pistons trail by 21. [Applause] 153 left in the fourth quarter. Cunningham outside, floats one. Six on the shot clock and he gets contact and the whistle on the shot. Two shots coming up. [Applause] That’s good from Harris. And the Thunder going with a whole new group out there. [Applause] [Applause] and Harris drops them both. 143 left in the fourth. Here’s Topic. Levert defending. Harris against Williams. Pass to Wallace. Back to Williams. Five to shoot. [Music] Oklahoma City needs to get off a shot. No good on the triple. Pistons trail by 19. And this is going to end in a lopsided victory. I love the tenacity and aggressiveness as well as the ability to close. You really got to give it up here for the Thunder. This was a very efficient offense tonight. And the they found a way to get their shots to go down. A little luck didn’t hurt. A lot of their 50/50 shots fell their way. And it’s the Thunder with the ball following the miss shot by Tobias Harris. There’s 48 seconds left in the game. Down low. It’s tipped. Williams with the steel. Here’s Topic. Levert defending. Shots good by Topic. And yeah, they’ve sucked the energy out of this arena. Tremendous effort on the road. Yeah. And winning games on the road is huge, especially when you get them in such a convincing fashion. Here’s Levert. The Thunder making the shot. Harris outside. Just five to shoot. Shooting foul. As the whistle blows, he’ll shoot two free throws. Tucson. That’s good from Harris. [Applause] So he gets them both. 15 seconds left in the fourth quarter. Mitchell feeling it out a bit. So, no problem for Oklahoma City as they get the win. This one was over well before the final buzzer. The fans were waiting for something to get excited about, Greg, but they never got it. They sure didn’t. I mean, they just rolled to this win. They made it look really easy. What an efficient performance at both ends. Well folks, that’s going to do it for now. For Stan Van Gundy, Greg Anthony, and David Aldridge, this is Kevin Harland. Thanks for being with us tonight on 2K Sports. We’ll see you next time. Have a great evening.
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