Two of the NBA’s best, the Detroit Pistons and the Oklahoma City Thunder, faced off in a heavyweight showdown at Little Caesars Arena on Wednesday night in a potential Finals preview.

Following a disappointing performance in Monday night’s loss to the San Antonio Spurs, the Pistons aimed to return to the intensity that was on full display during their five-game winning streak against a Thunder team missing its two stars, guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and forward Jalen Williams. 

The Pistons did just that, earning an impressive 124-116 win over the Thunder to improve to 43-14 on the season, as Detroit now holds the best record in the NBA. Jalen Duren again put on a show for the Pistons, recording his 27th double-double of the season, which included scoring 29 points, 15 rebounds, two assists, and one block on 12-of-17 shooting from the field. 

In addition to Duren’s double-double, Cade Cunningham bounced back from his struggling performance in the loss to the Spurs, scoring 29 points, 13 assists, and five rebounds, on 11-of-16 shooting from the field in the win.  

From the second quarter on, defense highlighted the Pistons’ performance against the Thunder. Entering the game, the Pistons led the NBA in blocks, averaging 6.3 per game. In the win over the Thunder, the Pistons recorded 12. Pistons forward Paul Reed had a team-high four blocks in the win.

The Pistons also overcame a career-night from Thunder forward Jaylin Williams, who scored 30 points, 11 rebounds, and four assists, on 9-of-14 shooting from the field in a losing effort for Oklahoma City. 

First Half

After a back-and-forth between both teams to start the game, the Thunder lit a spark offensively, ending the first quarter on a 15-2 run to take a 12-point lead. In the second quarter, the Pistons’ defense began to shine, led by Duren’s dominance on both ends of the court.

Duren’s 18 first-half points and the Pistons’ dominant defensive play in the second quarter helped Detroit to take a 58-52 lead heading into halftime.

Second Half

The Pistons’ defense continued to shine in the second half, as it helped guide Detroit to an early 8-0 run in the third quarter to give them their largest lead of the game at 17 points. Between the second quarter and the beginning of the fourth, the Pistons outscored the Thunder 72-46, an impressive run that made the difference in the game. 

Despite missing their core, however, the Thunder wouldn’t go away without a fight, as an 11-2 fourth quarter run cut the Pistons’ lead to five in the closing minutes of the fourth quarter. The Pistons were able to gather themselves and secure the victory. 

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