DETROIT — Jaden Ivey scored 34 points and Cade Cunningham had 32 points and 11 assists to lead the Detroit Pistons to their first home victory since January, 118-112 against the Brooklyn Nets on Thursday night.
Detroit (10-52) had lost nine of 10 games and hadn’t won a home game since a 120-104 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Jan. 28.
“I told the guys you have to do enough to win the game,” Pistons coach Monty Williams said. “We had to dig deep, but we made enough plays down the stretch.”
Dennis Schroder scored a game-high 31 points for Brooklyn, which has won three of four. Lonnie Walker IV scored 21. The Nets allowed 13 offensive rebounds and 23 second chance points.
“The rebounds made the biggest difference tonight,” said Nic Claxton, who finished with 15 points and 10 rebounds. “When we let them get that many missed shots, it changes the dynamic a lot.”
The game was tied at 98, but the Pistons went on a 9-0 run in 72 seconds to go up 107-98 with 5:05 to play. Cunningham scored the first six of those points, finishing with a quick dunk. After another Brooklyn miss, Cunningham set up Ivey for a 3-pointer.
“(Ivey) is getting back to shooting the ball the way we know he can,” Williams said. “He has to balance his shots and get to the basket, because no one can stop this kid from getting to the basket.
“Cade was just Cade.”
Brooklyn got as close as five, but Cunningham made two more jumpers and three free throws. He and Ivey combined for 26 points in the fourth quarter.
“We talked about playing fast before the game,” Ivey said. “All the guys shared the ball tonight, but we were looking for each other.”
The Nets led by three at halftime and had the advantage for most of the third. However, the Pistons used a late 12-0 run to take an 85-81 advantage at the end of the quarter.
The Pistons led 11-0 and 26-8 in points in the first quarter, but the Nets followed up with 16 points in the first with 41 in the second to take a 57-54 halftime lead. Brooklyn shot 77.3% (17 for 22) in the second quarter.
“We fell behind by 18 for the second game in a row,” Nets interim coach Kevin Ollie said. “We had the opportunity to come back in the last game, but we can’t continue living in this world. It puts so much pressure on you to come back.
FOLLOWING
Nets: At the Charlotte Hornets Saturday night.
Pistons: Host the Dallas Mavericks on Saturday night.
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