What’s going on with the Detroit Pistons? D.J. Foster breaks down the unexpected issues hampering the team early on this season.
Video courtesy of My Synergy Sports, stats via NBA.com/stats.
Trail Blazers 118, Raptors 110 (OT): Portland is now 8-2 on the young season because their offense is lighting up opposing teams — and that got them another win Sunday. They put up 108.5 points per 100 possessions thanks to three players with more than 20 points — LaMarcus Aldridge (25), Damian Lillard (25) and Nicolas Batum (24) — plus they hit 15-of-32 from three. Portland played better defense in the third quarter when they packed the paint and was up 10 entering the fourth quarter when Rudy Gay the gunner (12-of-27 shooting on the night) got hot, put up 11 points in the quarter and with a layup at the buzzer forced OT. Then in the extra period the Blazers kicked up the offense and it was over.
Grizzlies 97, Kings 85: Sacramento coach Mike Malone was so frustrated with the effort and play from his starters in the second half benched every one of them at 4:22 of the third quarter for the rest of the game. Sacramento promptly went on a 22-9 run thanks to the bench. Unfortunately, that was not going to be enough. Memphis won the fourth thanks to their starters and got strong nights from their leaders — Zach Randolph had 22 point and 10 boards; Marc Gasol had 19 and 9; Mike Conley finished with 19 points and 9 assists.
Lakers 114, Pistons 99: Both teams decided to run on the other team’s rather unimpressive transition defense and that led to an occasionally entertaining (with some great dunks, see above) but otherwise sloppy first 30 minutes or so, but one where the Pistons shot 62 percent. Then in the third quarter the Pistons went cold (15 points on 28 percent shooting, Brandon Jennings was 0-of-6) and Nick Young and Jordan Farmar came in and changed the completion – the Lakers closed the third on a 10-0 run and pulled away from there. Jordan Hill had 24 points and 17 boards, simply outplaying the vaunted Pistons frontline; Young had 19 off the bench.