Detroit — Jalen Duren walked into the home locker room of Little Caesars Arena, delighted that he and the rest of the starting five did not have to play since the end of the third quarter. Their night came to an early end on Friday as the team’s collective effort led to the Detroit Pistons’ 142-115 victory over the Atlanta Hawks.
Duren finished with 14 points, seven rebounds, and a block, and he was the only starter to play at least 24 minutes, highlighting how the Bench Mob carried Detroit to its third consecutive win. The victory improved the Pistons’ overall record to 20-5, marking the second-best start in franchise history.
“It felt amazing. The second group really came in and gave us a huge boost,” Duren said. “It was good to be able to sit down and cheer on the guys.”
Isaiah Stewart led the Pistons with a team-best 17 points to go along with four assists and four rebounds. He was one of eight players who contributed in double figures. Detroit’s bench unit accounted for 77 points, as Jaden Ivey and Caris LeVert each scored 10.
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“I think our bench came in and gave us a great lift to start the game,” coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. “When we put that unit in to close out the first quarter and start the second, I thought they did a really good job. [They were] being sound defensively, getting stops, and then finding their opportunities in transition to come up with some easy ones — I think that ignited the starters when we came back out of that third quarter.”
Bickerstaff continued, “We had a different defensive mindset, holding them to 19 points in that quarter. I think we did a great job being physical and executing our system, and then that led to our offense for us to score 142 [points].”
Ron Holland II maintained his impressive performance over the last six games, contributing with 12 points, five rebounds and three assists. He was key in the Pistons’ bench production, showcasing his hustle and energy on both ends of the court.
“He was awesome,” Bickerstaff said. “His energy, the intangibles that he brings, his willingness to just do whatever it takes to win basketball games. I’ve said it before, but it’s unique for a guy his age.”
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The Pistons had a week off after failing to reach the knockout round of the Emirates NBA Cup. Although they would have preferred to be one of two Eastern Conference teams playing in the quarterfinals on Saturday in Las Vegas, the extra time off allowed Bickerstaff to hold two extended practices to address the team’s recent slippages.
Before the break, the Pistons struggled with their shooting and turnovers. In the last seven games, they shot 34.5% from three-point range and averaged 18.0 turnovers, ranking 18th and 30th, respectively.
“I thought we had really good days of practice to clean up the slippage.”
Bickerstaff speaks on the #Pistons‘ five-day break and hopes it will help his players get fresh and improve their on-court play. pic.twitter.com/B2bfo5QA0g
— Coty M. Davis (@CotyDavis_24) December 12, 2025
They demonstrated their progress in both areas, ending the night shooting 41.4% on 3-point shooting with 14 made triples while only committing 12 turnovers. Cade Cunningham and Duncan Robinson each added 15 points while accounting for six of Detroit’s 3-point field goals.
“We needed some time, but I also thought the process of it was great,” Bickerstaff said. “We looked fresh. We had a lot of legs underneath us. We were able to clean up some of those system things on both sides of the ball. It was a great opportunity for us. Now we need to continue building on it.”
The time off also allowed the Pistons to recover from several minor injuries. For the first time this season, the Pistons had their full roster, highlighted by Tobias Harris (nine points), who had missed the previous game with an ankle injury.
The Hawks played their 21st game without their All-Star point guard, Trae Young. Jalen Johnson led Atlanta on the night with a triple-double of 19 points, 11 assists and 11 rebounds. Nickeil Alexander-Walker scored a game-high 22 points.
“We had a great week of practice,” LeVert said. “It was about defense. A lot of defensive intensity, a lot of talk. I think we did a great job of transitioning that to the game tonight.”
Observations and notes
▶Pistons display their depth: The Pistons had all their players available for the first time this season. As a result, Bickerstaff took the opportunity to experiment with various lineups in order to better understand how he wants to manage his rotations for the remainder of the season.
He utilized an 11-man rotation that featured Javonte Green, Ron Holland II, Jaden Ivey, Daniss Jenkins, Caris LeVert and Isaiah Stewart as key reserves. In a run that began towards the end of the first quarter, Detroit’s bench unit built a 14-point lead by the time Bickerstaff reinserted the starters. The bench contributed to 29 of the Pistons’ first 55 points, helping the team go on a 21-8 run.
“It’s great for us…With a full boat, the lineups, the matchups, the pairings that we can put together.”
Bickerstaff speaks on the importance of having his core group of players healthy for the first time this season. #Pistons pic.twitter.com/bzK6Iu6LBJ
— Coty M. Davis (@CotyDavis_24) December 12, 2025
▶Jaden Ivey surpasses minutes restriction: Jaden Ivey played his 10th game since returning from injury. For only the second time this season, he exceeded his 15-minute playing restriction. He played 18 minutes. In addition to scoring 10 points, Ivey also added four assists and two steals.
coty.davis@detroitnews.com
@cotydavis_24