Coty Davis asks All-Star guard Tyrese Maxey of the 76ers about competing against Daniss Jenkins of the Pistons.
Coty Davis asks All-Star guard Tyrese Maxey of the 76ers about competing against Daniss Jenkins of the Pistons.
Detroit — Daniss Jenkins and Tyrese Maxey are both from Dallas. Although their paths never crossed in AAU competition or in high school, Jenkins and Maxey were always aware of each other while competing for basketball supremacy in Texas.
Friday’s Emirates NBA Cup match between the Detroit Pistons and Philadelphia 76ers was the first time Jenkins and Maxey faced each other on the same court. Although Jenkins and Maxey have great respect for each other, they spent the night jawing back and forth inside Little Caesars Arena. On a handful of occasions, the two Texas natives had to be separated.
“When I step in between those lines, all bets are off,” Jenkins said. “I just get lost in competing, and that’s all I do. That’s all I’m about.”
Maxey — the All-Star guard — ended the night with 31 points on 13-of-31 shooting, seven rebounds, and four steals, proving why he finished his high school career ranked ahead of Jenkins as a five-star recruit in 2019.
Jenkins — a two-way prospect — finished with 19 points, shooting 6-of-15 overall and 5-of-8 from 3-point range. The former unranked high school prospect also contributed eight assists and three steals. Jenkins’ performance was more impactful than that of Maxey, which helped the Pistons secure a 114-105 victory.
“He played really good, he played tough,” Maxey said. “We talked a little bit of trash, and after the game I asked him, ‘Hey, what’s up, man? Do you have an issue or something? He said, ‘No, just being competitive.’ He’s from Dallas, so it’s respect.”
BOX SCORE: Pistons 114, 76ers 105
Jenkins scored 13 points in the second half, helping the Pistons overcome a 12-point deficit midway through the third quarter. The Pistons extended their winning streak to nine, their longest since the 2007-08 season. They also improved to 2-0 during the Emirates NBA Cup.
“I’m just trying to practice what I preach,” Jenkins said. “That’s all I say. Every day I wake up or I look at myself in the mirror, I ask myself, ‘Am I being true to who I am, what I say, what I stand on?’ When I get my opportunity, that’s all I’m trying to do. I got to stand on stuff that I said, and that’s what I really feel. So that’s just how I come out and I play.”
While Jenkins led the short-handed Pistons to another impressive victory, Javonte Green led Detroit with a team-high 21 points and nine rebounds. Caris LeVert added 14 points and six assists, while Duncan Robinson scored 15 points on 5-of-12 shooting. The Pistons held the 76ers to 15 points during the fourth quarter, where they came into the period down 90-88.
“Our ability to defend at an elite level when it matters most is impressive,” coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. “Our guys know that they can go there. Sometimes I wish it were a little sooner, but they know they can get to a place where they put a stranglehold on people offensively. … How we defend, if we defend the way we’re capable of, we’ll give ourselves a chance to win in the fourth.”
Detroit remained significantly short-handed with Cade Cunningham (hip) and Jalen Duren (ankle) missing their second straight game. Tobias Harris has missed the most games due to the right ankle sprain he suffered during the Pistons’ win over the Dallas Mavericks on Nov. 1.
Bickerstaff said Harris is “getting better every day,” but there is still no timetable for his return. The Pistons are hoping to have Harris back soon. He missed his seventh straight game against the 76ers.
Despite missing six of their core players, the Pistons were able to get Isaiah Stewart back, who had missed the previous three games due to an ankle sprain. In his first game back, Stewart finished with 14 points and seven rebounds.
“It was great to have him back,” Bickerstaff said. “That presence that he brings, that toughness, that grit, the spirit. We miss him dearly when he is not out there.”
Observations and notes
Pistons received life in second quarter: The period started off challenging for the Pistons as the 76ers raced to an 11-2 run, threatening to pull away. Bickerstaff called a timeout shortly after, which helped Detroit regain its momentum. With Javonte Green contributing 13 points, the Pistons outscored the 76ers 33-16 during the period. The strong second-quarter performance allowed the Pistons to take a 63-54 lead at halftime.
Holland has not looked great: This season was anticipated to be a breakout year for Ron Holland. He performed well in the Summer League, and many of his teammates praised him for making the most significant leap of anyone on the team at the start of training camp.
However, outside of the first two games of the season, Holland has not played well. In the absence of several players, he was expected to step up, but his struggles continued. Holland played 24 minutes against the 76ers, finishing with nine points on 4-of-15 shooting. He is now averaging 7.6 points on 33.0% shooting over the last six games.
coty.davis@detroitnews.com
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