March 12, 2026, 9:27 p.m. ET

DETROIT — The Philadelphia 76ers paid a visit to the East-leading Detroit Pistons on Thursday night facing a tall task. The Sixers invaded Little Caesars Arena without the services of Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, Paul George, Kelly Oubre Jr., Adem Bona, and Andre Drummond. The result was predictable.

The Pistons led wire-to-wire and Philadelphia hung in for a half as it cut a 17-point first half deficit down to just six at one point, but Detroit kicked it into high gear and earned a 131-109 win. Pistons star Cade Cunningham had 13 assists, while former Sixers forward Tobias Harris had 15 points and five rebounds and Duncan Robinson had 19 points for Detroit, and Jalen Duren had 14 and 10 rebounds.

The Sixers received 15 points from Cam Payne while Quentin Grimes had 14 points and five assists, and Dominick Barlow had 11 points and four rebounds. Justin Edwards had 12 points, eight rebounds, five assists, and four steals, and MarJon Beauchamp had 17 points and six rebounds. Jabari Walker added 16 points.

Here are the player grades following the loss:

VJ Edgecombe: D

The rookie got off to a slow start in this one. The Sixers needed him to give more on the offensive end under the current circumstances, but he had some tough moments in this one. Other than getting to the line, Edgecombe struggled with his shot and it allowed the Pistons to get out and run in order to create easy buckets from their perspective. He had a tough night in his first game really as a No. 1 option. The Pistons paid a lot of attention to him to limit him and he couldn’t knock down any 3s. Sometimes, you’re the big and sometimes, you’re the windshield. Edgecombe was the bug in this analogy.

Need a news break? Check out the all new PLAY hub with puzzles, games and more!Quentin Grimes: D-plus

If there was one guy the Sixers really needed to have a big night, it was Grimes. He assumes much more responsibility with all the players sidelined, but he was unable to do much in this one. He struggled with his 3-point shot in the early going, and when he tried to attack the basket, he was rejected at the rim by Cunningham. He was able to find a rhythm by putting the ball on the floor and getting to the basket, but he couldn’t buy a 3-pointer in this one.

Justin Edwards: B-plus

The second-year forward got poked in the eye by Duren which led to him being removed early, but he returned and was a pest defensively. He had a tough time on the offensive end other than some free throws, but Edwards had a solid night on defense. He had an impressive steal on Cunningham in the backcourt which led to a slam and he had a nice night overall.  

Trendon Watford: C

The Sixers received an aggressive Watford in this one. With the amount of scoring sitting on the bench, Watford took it upon himself as he was able to work his way into the paint and to the basket off the dribble. He had some nice finishes to keep the scoreboard moving and played well on both ends.

Dominick Barlow: C

The Sixers needed an aggressive Barlow in this one and he obliged for Philadelphia. He did get rejected on a layup attempt by Duren, but he stayed with it and knocked down some big shots for the Sixers to give them some type of production on that end. He also knocked down a corner 3 as he continues to expand his range. He had a tough second half, though, as Duren was able to get easy buckets against him in the third and Barlow could not answer.

Jabari Walker: B-minus

Walker gave the Sixers a big boost in the first quarter. The Pistons had built a double-digit lead, but he stepped in and knocked down a 3, ran the floor hard, and contributed on the defensive end, and on the glass. He had some nice moments overall so the Sixers will take that.

Cam Payne: B

The Sixers needed some scoring from the perimeter as Detroit’s defenders kept them out of the paint for the most part. Payne stepped in and immediately went to work. He knocked down a 3, had a nice drive to the basket, and got fouled on another drive. Overall, he was a consistent source of offense for the Sixers in this one and gave Philadelphia some help.

MarJon Beauchamp: B

One has to like the minutes Beauchamp gave the Sixers in this one. He has a lot of size and length, and he can give Philadelphia some much-needed production from the wing. He gave it in this one as he was aggressive from the floor and was helpful with the 3-point shot. This is a night the Sixers have to hope he can build off for the future.

Dalen Terry: C

The Sixers had to turn to Terry early after Edwards was poked in the eye by Duren in the early going in this one. He had some nice defensive moments as he continues to prove himself as a perimeter defender for Philadelphia. He was tough and physical in this one and the Sixers can work with that.

Kyle Lowry: Incomplete

The Sixers turned to Lowry early and he didn’t do much in his four minutes.