Pistons Team Notes

[Detroit Pistons]

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[Detroit Pistons]

Pistons vs. Hornets final score: Cade Cunningham triple-doubles in Detroit’s win

Detroit falls asleep in the second half, but puts the game away when needed

It wasn’t always pretty, and the Detroit Pistons didn’t always look like they were taking the game seriously, but they did enough to put away the overmatched Charlotte Hornets 112-102. The win moved Detroit above .500 (27-26) and 4-2 to end their homestand. Their two losses were by a combined five points.

The Pistons were led by Tobias Harris’ 20 points and Cade Cunningham’s 19-point, 12-assist, 10-rebound triple-double. It was Cunningham’s eighth triple-double of the season.

Honestly, it was not Cade’s sharpest game. While he was one of the reason’s the team was able to storm out to a 28-point lead, he was also for the Hornets cutting the deficit to two with 7:48 remaining in the game.

From then on, Cunningham got serious and put the game away. He worked his way into a smooth 16-foot jumper at the top of the key and assisted on a Dennis Schröder three-pointer. He then snaked his way into the lane for a six-foot floater and hit two free throws to power an 11-2 run that put the game out of reach.

The Hornets, who were missing several starters from their lineup, were unable to do much of anything in the first half, but its pair of veterans, Seth Curry and Miles Bridges, powered the team’s second-half comeback. Curry finished with 26 and Bridges a game-high 30 points.

Ausar Thompson continued his strong of strong play as both a point-forward who pushed the ball up the floor and as a big man in the dunker’s spot. He had 16 points, eight rebounds, four assists and two steals on 7-of-9 shooting. Thompson is finally getting comfortable after missing most of the first half of the season, and could be a jump shot away from being a young star in the NBA (jump shots are important).

Malik Beasley followed up his career night against the Philadelphia 76ers with a pedestrian game, hitting just five of 14 three-pointers on his way to 17 points.

The Pistons push their record past .500 once again and haven’t been more than two games below or above .500 since being 15-18 on Jan. 1.

They have two more games before an extended rest for the All-Star break, both road contests in a back-to-back against the Bulls in Chicago. The Bulls have four wins in their past 13 games.

Source: https://www.detroitbadboys.com/2025...ade-cunningham-triple-doubles-in-detroits-win

 

[Detroit Pistons]

Pistons ‘targeted’ Dennis Schroder as someone not afraid of the big moments

Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images

JBB Bickerstaff excited to get new guard integrated into lineup

The thing about playing for seven teams in five years is that you’ve seen it all. That’s exactly why Trajan Langdon and JBB Bickerstaff wanted Dennis Schroder to become a member of the Detroit Pistons.

The well-traveled point guard has started for years, come off the bench, captained young teams, and deferred to superstars. He’s been a member of 13 playoff series, and he’s hit big shots in his career. He also has the ability to impact both ends of the floor. He checked every box.

“And he was a guy that we targeted and wanted to be here as a part of this group because of his skill set,” Bickerstaff said before the Pistons played the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday. “His competitive nature, his ability to play two ends of the floor. But you know he’s got a killer instinct in him also. He’s not afraid of the moment. He’s not afraid to take big shots.”

The Pistons have struggled in the absence of Jaden Ivey, who was playing the best season of his career alongside Cade Cunningham, but also played critical minutes running the offense when Cade went to the bench.

Since Ivey’s injury on Jan. 1, the Pistons have been outscored by 7.9 points per 100 possessions when Cunningham is off the floor, compared to outscoring opponents by 5.5 points when he is on. That 13.4-point differential is a huge leap from prior to Jan. 1, when the Pistons were only being outscored by 0.1 points when Cade rested.

The Pistons simply couldn’t rely on Marcus Sasser to run the offense, and the team didn’t really have any other ball-handlers they could turn to. That all changes with Schroder joining the team.

Bickerstaff and Langdon believe the list of needs Schroder will address for the Pistons is extensive.

“Being able to manage change, play big games, play with other elite-level guards. ... take some pressure off of guys, make people’s jobs easier,” Bickerstaff said.

That bit about playing with other guards was perhaps a hint at Bickerstaff’s comfort level in Schroder and Cunningham together to close games. Among the many ways Cuningham has improved this season is as a defender. Still, in crunch time, it was too easy for a ball handler to switch off either Cunningham or Ausar Thompson and find themself going one-on-one against Malik Beasley or Tim Hardaway Jr. Those veterans are great shooters, but great defenders they are not.

Schroder is only at 34% from deep for his career but hit 39% in his 1.5 seasons as a member of the Nets. Detroit is hoping he can recapture some of that magic. He’s also someone who can defend at a much higher level than either of Detroit’s more reliable 3-point shooting threats.

He pointed to Schroder’s success in OKC in both his ability to play alongside the Thunder’s star players, Chris Paul and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and to be on the floor with them to close games.

Dennis’ ability to handle the ball, play the pick and roll, get to the paint, create for himself, create for others. Both of those guys (Lindy Waters and Schroder) are willing to defend as well. So they’re guys who are here who will boost us.”

That’s a lot of praise and maybe a lot of pressure to put on Schroder, but it’s nothing he hasn’t seen before. He’s been there, and now he has a chance to take a young Pistons team there too.

Source: https://www.detroitbadboys.com/2025...rgeted-dennis-schroder-as-a-valuable-finisher

 

[Detroit Pistons]

Pistons vs. Hornets GameThread: Game Time, TV, Odds, and More

Photo by Chris Schwegler/NBAE via Getty Images

Pistons look to end long home stand strong

The Detroit Pistons end their season-long six-game homestand Sunday afternoon against the Charlotte Hornets. It’s a chance to go 4-2, with their only two losses being heartbreaks of two and three points on last-second shots against the Atlanta Hawks and Cleveland Cavaliers, respectively.

Today’s game should feature the return of Cade Cunningham, who sat out Friday’s win over the Philadelphia 76ers with a sore ankle.

It’s unclear who is suiting up for the Hornets today after the franchise’s big trade of Mark Williams for Dalton Knecht and Cam Reddish was rescinded, seemingly after Williams failed his physical with the Los Angeles Lakers. Assuming Williams is out, he will join LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller, Josh Green, Tre Mann, Grant Williams, Nick Smith Jr. and Jusuf Nurkic on the inactive list.

Game Vitals​

When: 1 p.m. ET
Where: Little Caesars Arena, Detroit, Michigan
Watch: Fan Duel Sports Network Detroit
Odds: Pistons -11.5

Projected Lineups​

Detroit Pistons (26-26)​

Cade Cunningham, Tim Hardaway Jr., Ausar Thompson, Tobias Harris, Jalen Duren

Charlotte Hornets (13-36)​

KJ Simpson, Seth Curry, DaQuan Jeffries, Miles Bridges, Moussa Diabate

Source: https://www.detroitbadboys.com/2025...hornets-gamethread-game-time-tv-odds-and-more

 

[Detroit Pistons]

Pistons vs. Bulls preview: First game of back-to-back against the Bulls

Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

The Pistons will play back-to-back games on the road against the Bulls before heading into the All Star Break.

The NBA has some weird scheduling quirks, and one of the weirdest is back-to-back games against the same team. It doesn’t always happen, but every team seems to have at least one of these a season. I am sure it has to do with reducing travel during a long season by knocking out a couple of road games, but in most cases these is a home game and then a road game against the same team.

If there is one positive about this stretch of games it is that it comes against a Chicago Bulls team that seems like they want to rebuild, but also won’t fully buy-in on doing it. They traded away Zach LaVine at the deadline, but did not trade Nikola Vucevic and also extended Lonzo Ball. They also ended up with like 6 point guards on their roster as they got back Tre Jones in the Zach LaVine trade. The roster is a mess, but they probably still left themselves in position to compete for the Play-In Tournament.

I am not exactly sure what is going on, but one thing that I do know is that he Pistons have a great chance to enter the All Star break on a 4 game winning streak by winning a couple of very winnable games against the Bulls.

Game Vitals​

Where: United Center in Chicago, IL
When: Tuesday, Feb. 11 at 8 pm EST
Watch: Fan Duel Sports Network Detroit
Odds: Pistons (-4.5)

Analysis​

The last time these two teams faced off was a game in which Zach LaVine missed, so they have already kind of faced the current iteration of the Bulls minus the log jam at point guard. In that game, the Bulls were able to keep things close by taking 52 threes and making 19 of them.

That is how the 2024-2025 Chicago Bulls play and sometimes it works and other times they lose by a lot when their shots are not falling. They play fast, they don’t really play much defense, but they are definitely going to get up a lot of 3s.

Without Zach LaVine, the Bulls are not as good on offense, but they still have plenty of guys that can make threes. Unfortunately for the Pistons, one of those guys is Nikola Vucevic and Jalen Duren struggles mightily to guard him. I was hoping we would no longer have to worry about him after the deadline because the Bulls traded him, but that did not happen so now the Pistons have to get their night ruined by Vucevic once again.

In the first matchup between these teams, Vucevic had 29 points in a Bulls win and in the aforementioned game, he ended up with a triple-double. However, the important thing is that he is 12-of-14 from beyond the arc across those two games.

The Bulls will be mostly healthy, but will be without Lonzo Ball. They could also be without Ayo Dosunmu, but even if both players are out, they still have plenty of point guards to fill in.

This game and tomorrow night’s game should both be easily winnable for the Pistons. If the Bulls get hot from beyond the arc, they will make it closer than it should be, but the Pistons are the better team and shouldn’t have any issues with this version of the Bulls even if Nikola Vucevic scares me.

The Pistons are fully healthy and had a game to integrate Dennis Schroder into the rotation. It will still take a few more games to get into a rhythm, but having somebody to take some pressure off of Cade Cunningham handling the ball will help for getting more production out of the bench, and keep Cade fresher down the stretch.

The Pistons definitely cannot look past the Bulls, as they avoided a near disaster on Sunday against the Hornets after getting complacent after getting out to a huge lead early. The Bulls are a better team than the one the Hornets had on the floor on Sunday, so if the Pistons display a similar effort, the Bulls are better equipped to take advantage of it.

Hopefully that game was a wake-up call and the Pistons can put the Bulls away early so they can save a little bit of energy for tomorrow night’s game.

Lineups​

Chicago Bulls (22-31): Josh Giddey, Kevin Huerter, Coby White, Ayo Dosunmu, Nikola Vucevic

Detroit Pistons (27-26): Cade Cunningham, Tim Hardaway Jr, Ausar Thompson, Tobias Harris, Jalen Duren

Question of the Day​

What will be the Pistons record at the All Star Break?

Source: https://www.detroitbadboys.com/2025...all-star-2024-2025-nba-season-cade-cunningham

 

[Detroit Pistons]

Pistons at Bulls final score: Detroit sets multiple records in blowout win

Photo by Jeff Haynes/NBAE via Getty Images

The Detroit Pistons beat the Chicago Bulls by 40 points.

So, that was a lot of fun.

With a much-deserved break coming soon due to the All-Star weekend, it’s important the Detroit Pistons don’t lose sight of the playoff picture and use every game as a stepping stone toward the 6th seed. If tonight was any indication, this team is hitting their stride in the second half of the season.

The Pistons absolutely smacked the Bulls tonight. It was an incredibly embarrassing loss for Chicago Bulls and an incredibly impressive win for Detroit. This game featured a little bit of everything: offense, defense, and a few broken franchise records. If there was ever a game to watch on replay, this one is it. The Pistons beat the Bulls 132-92, but it wasn’t close in any of the 48 minutes.

Detroit’s defense looked fantastic in the first quarter. Their defensive rotations were on point, and all five starters looked locked-in. They forced Chicago into some difficult shots and were able to get out in transition for easy buckets. Cade found Ausar for some bully-ball drives to the rim as the Pistons started the game on a 16-6 run. They kept the pressure up for the whole quarter to take a 34-18 lead. Cunningham used his elite vision for six early assists.

The second quarter saw this game turn into an absolute whooping as Detroit outscored Chicago by 26 (!) points. There was one perfect moment to sum it up: after the Pistons were on a 21-0 run, Nikola Vucevic hit a floater after multiple scoreless minutes, and he ran back on defense with his fists in the air - Coby White, Patrick Williams, and the rest of the United Center joined him in cheer. Even George Blaha had a sarcastic call after Chicago hit their first three-pointer after 21 tries: “Chicago finally hits their first three...and the score is now 67-27.”

Detroit went into halftime with a 71-29 lead - their largest halftime lead in franchise history. The Pistons shot 57% from the field and 39% from deep. Ausar Thompson led Detroit with 14 points while shooting 6-for-6. Cade had 11 points, five rebounds, and seven assists. The Pistons bench scored more first-half points than the entire Chicago team. The Bulls shot 12-for-52 (23%) from the field and 1-for-23 (4%) from three.

Biggest halftime lead in franchise history… not bad pic.twitter.com/Iz2gwI5TfZ

— Detroit Pistons (@DetroitPistons) February 12, 2025​

If you’re a coach, what do you tell a team at halftime that’s winning by 42? In his interview with Johnny Kane, Isaiah Stewart said JB Bickerstaff was going to challenge them to keep up how well they were playing. I think I would tell the team to continue to beat the Bulls in each quarter, and that’s exactly what they did in the third. The Pistons outscored Chicago 34-30, and we saw Malik Beasley tie Saddiq Bey’s record for most made threes in a season.

On the very first play of the fourth quarter, Beasley hit another three for 212 total made threes in a season - a new franchise record. He instantly hugged Isaiah Stewart and made sure to hug his other teammates on the bench after being subbed out. It’s extremely fitting that Beasley was able to do this before the All-Star break - he’s an absolute flamethrower.

Most three-pointers in a season in franchise history

Congratulations, @mbeasy5! https://t.co/ou8dWTw9ye pic.twitter.com/MslyO166Q5

— Detroit Pistons (@DetroitPistons) February 12, 2025​

JB Bickerstaff was able to empty the bench early tonight, and we even saw newly acquired Lindy Waters III with his first minutes in a Pistons uniform. Marcus Sasser hit multiple threes late in garbage time, and Detroit finished the game with a 132-92 win.

Beasley led the way for Detroit with 24 points and seven threes. Cade had 20 points, six rebounds, and seven assists. The Pistons saw six players finish with double-digit points while team shot 53% from the field and 44% from deep. No player saw more than 27 minutes, and that’s important on the first game of a back-to-back.

Detroit gets to do it all over again tomorrow - same time, same team, same place.

Source: https://www.detroitbadboys.com/2025...-detroit-sets-multiple-records-in-blowout-win

 

[Detroit Pistons]

Pistons vs. Bulls preview: Detroit looks to go into the All-Star break on a high note

Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images

How will Pistons follow up Tuesday’s record-setting performance against the Bulls?

The biggest mistake the Detroit Pistons can make is assuming that the Chicago Bulls team they will face tonight will look anything like the Bulls from the first half of yesterday’s game. Those Bulls couldn’t throw the ball into the ocean and were limited to 29 first-half points. Chicago might be a rebuilding team struggling to create offense, but they aren’t 29 points bad. If Detroit doesn’t take them seriously, they could lose. However, if they show the same energy and commitment to defense and causing disruption, they should enter the All-Star break with another victory and their sixth win in eight games.

Game Vitals​

When: 8 p.m. ET
Where: United Center, Chicago, Illinois
Watch: Fan Duel Sports Network Detroit
Odds: Pistons -6.5

Analysis​

The Pistons will look to recapture the magic of Tuesday’s 132-92 annihilation of the Bulls. Chicago will instead attempt to build off of its 66-point second half when Detroit clearly took its foot off the gas.

I’m not sure what Detroit could do for an encore more impressive than what they delivered Tuesday. Malik Beasley set the franchise’s all-time 3-point mark before the All-Star break. The team had the biggest first-half lead in franchise history. They limited the Bulls to 35% shooting for the night.

Tonight, it is likely safe to assume that the game will be a closer affair. The questions then become, how can Cade perform when asked to deliver for 30-plus minutes? How can the team ensure Tobias Harris is able to again exploit mismatches and find open driving lanes? How can Ausar Thompson work as a transition threat and find easy points in the dunker’s spot? What can the defense do to limit Ayo Dosunmu and, potentially, players like Nikola Vucevic assuming both are able to start connecting on three-pointers?

Otherwise, this game is not particularly complicated. Play defense, don’t give up easy baskets, and keep the ball moving. As long as they don’t fall into the trap of assuming the Bulls will let them easily waltz into a 25-point first-half lead, the Pistons should be fine. Things could get a bit messy if they are mentally checked out and take it so easy they are essentially factoring in their All-Star break plans.

Projected Lineups​

Detroit Pistons (28-26)​

Cade Cunningham, Tim Hardaway, Ausar Thompson, Tobias Harris, Jalen Duren

Chicago Bulls (22-32)​

Josh Giddey, Lonzo Ball, Coby White, Ayo Dosunmu, Nikola Vucevic

Question of the Game​

How many members of the Bulls starting lineup will be on the team next season?

Source: https://www.detroitbadboys.com/2025...-to-go-into-the-all-star-break-on-a-high-note

 

[Detroit Pistons]

Submit your questions for The Pindown: A Detroit Pistons Podcast

Tune in live Friday at 8:30 p.m. ET to join in on the conversation.

It’s mailbag time!

Send in your questions now for this week’s episode of The Pindown: A Detroit Pistons Podcast where we’ll discuss the past week of Pistons basketball. Submit your question to the comments section here or on X/Twitter to @TheRealWesD3 and/or @blakesilverman.

Join us live on Friday at 8:30 p.m. ET for the show where we’ll talk through the past week of Pistons’ basketball, including everything trade deadline. What are your first impressions of Dennis Schroder? Can the Pistons hold onto the No. 6 seed in the East after the All-Star break? How will Cade Cunningham do in the 3-point contest and All-Star Game?

Plus, The Pindown has a phone line where you can leave a message and hear your voice on the show. Call (313) 355-2717 and leave us a voicemail with your question. Please try to keep the message around 45 seconds or less so we can fit everyone into the show.

The podcast will be uploaded to all audio platforms the following morning.

The Pindown: A Detroit Pistons Podcast Vitals:​

When: Friday February 14th at 8:30 p.m. ET

Where: Detroit Bad Boys YouTube Channel

How to submit questions:

• Detroit Bad Boys Website: Comment section of the weekly Pindown episode articles.
• Call (313) 355-2717 and leave us a voicemail with your question. Please try to keep the message to 45 seconds or less.
• Twitter: @detroitbadboys, @blakesilverman or @therealwesd3
• YouTube: Chat section of The Pindown live recording — Subscribe here

As always, leave any questions or topics you want to be discussed in the comment section below.

Listen to the show’s recording the following morning wherever you listen to your podcasts.

• Apple Podcasts
• Spotify

Last Week’s Show:​

Source: https://www.detroitbadboys.com/2025/2/13/24364928/pindown-detroit-pistons-podcast

 

[Detroit Pistons]

Pistons vs. Bulls final score: Detroit enters break on a high note with another W

Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images

Cade Cunningham scores 29 in victory

The Detroit Pistons finished the unofficial first half of the season exactly how they wanted to. A 128-110 win over the Chicago Bulls, three games above .500 for the first time this season, and with real momentum as the lineup continues to gel.

The game wasn’t as easy for Detroit as the 40-point win against the same Bulls the night before, but they were able to keep a consistent double-digit lead throughout the final quarter.

Detroit was led by Cade Cunningham’s 29 points, which included several nifty drives to the basket and visits to the free-throw line, which have become a wonderfully regular occurrence for Cunningham. He finished the night 9-of-19 overall, but was 7-of-12 inside the arc and 9-of-10 from the free-throw line.

Among several solid performances from the Pistons’ core rotation, the most impactful was from Ausar Thompson, who continues to emerge this season.

It feels like Ausar finally feels comfortable after an extended absence to start the year because of a blood clot issue, and the new coaching staff is understanding how to utilize him.

Thompson is working as a secondary ball-handler who can push the ball up the floor, a dynamic cutter, a guy who can finish through traffic, and find success in the dunker’s spot.

Thompson finished with 19 points on 8-of-10 shooting, got to the charity stripe seven times (only making three), and had seven assists, and five rebounds.

The Pistons didn’t look past the Bulls even as they had to fight for the full 48 minutes. They were active defensively and were passing the ball all night. The team ended the night with 30 assists. None was prettier than this late-game dime from Ausar Thompson where he redirected an alley-oop pass from Cunningham to a trailing Jalen Duren for a monster slam:

JOGADA ABSURDA pic.twitter.com/Ze5AUC54HX https://t.co/O2TPEsPqDz

— Pistons Brasil (@PistonsBrasil_) February 13, 2025​

As they unfurl more elements to his game, it makes Detroit’s offense so much more dangerous in both the open floor and the half court.

Thompson’s emergence also means there is less pressure on Detroit’s pair of veteran perimeter shooters. It’s much easier for Detroit to win when Tim Hardaway Jr. has an off night like tonight than it was earlier this season. Hardaway finished with just five points on eight shots. Malik Beasley scored 14, but Chicago designed a large part of their defensive game plan around denying Beasley easy access to the ball and it paid off through several stretches of the game.

After getting embarrassed last game, Chicago was focused on pushing the ball up the floor to not let Detroit get its defense set, and in hitting open shots.

The latter doesn’t come easy for a Chicago team as undermanned as it finds itself. Tonight, they were just 9-of-41 from deep. But they did find success in pushing the tempo and running to the rim. The Bulls were led by Ayo Dosunmu with 23 points.

The Pistons now get an extended rest during the All-Star break. Most of them, anyway. Cunningham will be making the first of what we hope is many All-Star appearances, and Ausar Thompson will play in the Rising Stars game with a chance to take his team into the All-Star game tournament on Sunday. We will also see Cunningham compete in the 3-point contest.

Then it’s back to basketball and the playoff push.

Source: https://www.detroitbadboys.com/2025...it-enters-break-on-a-high-note-with-another-w

 

[Detroit Pistons]

NBA All-Star Weekend: Ausar Thompson in the Rising Stars Challenge

Photo by Zach Barron/NBAE via Getty Images

Detroit’s multi-talented forward gets the spotlight during All-Star weekend

Not all the Detroit Pistons are getting an extended break during All-Star weekend. Cade Cunningham is in in the big show, the NBA All-Star game on Sunday. His young teammate, second-year forward Ausar Thompson hopes to join him. First, he’ll have to win the NBA Rising Stars game, which is airing tonight on TNT and TruTV.

Game Vitals​

When: 9 p.m. ET
Where: Chase Center, San Francisco, California
Watch: TNT and TruTV, Max

Thompson will be competing on Mitch Richmond’s roster along with his twin brother Amen, Matas Buzelis, Bilal Coulibaly, and others. There are four seven-player rosters total playing in a tournament-style, with the final team joining a similar format against the NBA All-Stars on Sunday.

The Teams​

Coach: Mitch Richmond​

• Matas Buzelis, Chicago Bulls
• Toumani Camara, Portland Trail Blazers
• Carlton Carrington, Washington Wizards
• Bilal Coulibaly, Washington Wizards
• Julian Strawther, Denver Nuggets
• Amen Thompson, Houston Rockets
• Ausar Thompson, Detroit Pistons

Coach: Chris Mullin​

• Stephon Castle, San Antonio Spurs
• Ryan Dunn, Phoenix Suns
• Zach Edey, Memphis Grizzlies
• Keyonte George, Utah Jazz
• Trayce Jackson-Davis, Golden State Warriors
• Dalton Knecht, Los Angeles Lakers
• Jaylen Wells, Memphis Grizzlies

Coach: Tim Hardaway Sr.​

• Anthony Black, Orlando Magic*
• Tristan da Silva, Orlando Magic
• Gradey Dick, Toronto Raptors
• Jaime Jaquez Jr., Miami Heat
• Zaccharie Risacher, Atlanta Hawks
• Alex Sarr, Washington Wizards
• Brandin Podziemski, Golden State Warriors

Coach: Jeremy Lin (G League roster)​

• JD Davison, Maine Celtics
• Mac McClung, Osceola Magic
• Bryce McGowens, Rip City Remix
• Leonard Miller, Iowa Wolves
• Dink Pate, Mexico City Capitanes
• Reed Sheppard, Rio Grande Valley Vipers
• Pat Spencer, Santa Cruz Warriors

How it works​

Simple enough — The teams will face off and the first team to 40 points wins. The two final teams will then play, and the first team to score 25 points is the champion and moves on to the Sunday tournament.

Source: https://www.detroitbadboys.com/2025...-ausar-thompson-in-the-rising-stars-challenge

 

[Detroit Pistons]

Pistons vs. Bulls GameThread 2.0: Game Time, TV, Odds, and More Again

Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images

Pistons look to end the unofficial first half of the season with another statement victory

Only one more game stands between us and the All-Star break. For the fans, it is the last meaningful 48 minutes of basketball for an extended period, with only some Cade Cunningham and Ausar Thompson All-Star festivities to distract us. For most of the players, it is near an extended break they can use to rest up, get healthy, and spend time with family. We only hope these Detroit Pistons aren’t looking past their opponent, the Chicago Bulls. The same Bulls team that they just embarrassed on their home floor a night ago will surely be looking for a spot of revenge. Revenge-seeking or not, the Pistons are still the more talented team. If they take the game seriously, they should prevail. If not, well, anything can happen.

Game Vitals​

When: 8 p.m. ET
Where: United Center, Chicago, Illinois
Watch: Fan Duel Sports Network Detroit
Odds: Pistons -6.5

Projected Lineups​

Detroit Pistons (28-26)​

Cade Cunningham, Tim Hardaway, Ausar Thompson, Tobias Harris, Jalen Duren

Chicago Bulls (22-32)​

Josh Giddey, Lonzo Ball, Coby White, Ayo Dosunmu, Nikola Vucevic

Source: https://www.detroitbadboys.com/2025...methread-2-0-game-time-tv-odds-and-more-again

 

[Detroit Pistons]

NBA All-Star Saturday Night: Cade Cunningham an underdog in the 3-point contest

Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images

Detroit PIstons star guard gets a little extra exposure before the big game on Sunday

NBA All-Star Saturday Night is the league’s signature event night, with various NBA stars competing in the Kia Skills Challenge, the Starry 3-point Contest and the AT&T Slam Dunk contest. For Detroit Pistons fans it’s also the night where they get to see their best player and *cough* fifth-best 3-point shooter Cade Cunningham compete in the 3-point challenge.

No, it isn’t likely that Cunningham is going to shock the world and beat the likes of Damian Lillard, Tyler Herro, or Jalen Brunson. But it doesn’t matter because it is another chance to put Cunningham in front of the eyes of a national audience. I’m sure that will come much more next season, but this year, after a 14-win season, it’s not a surprise the Pistons don’t get any of the national spotlight.

Event Vitals​

When: 8 p.m. ET
Where: Chase Center, San Francisco, California
Watch: TNT & TruTV
Stream: TNT Overtime and Max

Things get off at 8 p.m. on TNT and TruTV with the skills challenge, then the 3-point contest, then the main event — the slam dunk contest. Here is a rundown of the participants.

Kia Skills Challenge​

Team Cavs — Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley

Team Rooks — Zaccharie Risacher and Alex Sarr

Team Spurs — Chris Paul and Victor Wembanyama

Team Warriors — Draymond Green and Moses Moody

Starry 3-Point Contest​

• Cade Cunningham, Detroit Pistons
• Jalen Brunson, New York Knicks
• Darius Garland, Cleveland Cavaliers
• Tyler Herro, Miami Heat
• Buddy Hield, Golden State Warriors
• Cameron Johnson, Brooklyn Nets
• Damian Lillard, Milwaukee Bucks
• Norman Powell, Los Angeles Clippers

2025 AT&T Slam Dunk​

• Matas Buzelis, Chicago Bulls
• Stephon Castle, San Antonio Spurs
• Andre Jackson Jr., Milwaukee Bucks
• Mac McClung, G League’s Osceola Magic

Source: https://www.detroitbadboys.com/2025...it-pistons-an-underdog-in-the-3-point-contest

 

[Detroit Pistons]

The organized chaos of “Point Ausar Thompson”

Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images

With no Cade Cunningham, Ausar Thompson showed his offensive versatility.

When you’re a team coming off one of the worst seasons in NBA history, a season when you set an NBA single-season record for most consecutive losses, league-wide and casual interest in the product you’re offering is going to be minimal at best.

That was reflected in the national TV schedule prior to the start of the season, where the Pistons were handed one ESPN national broadcast (and you could even argue that was fortunate on last year’s evidence), the home battle against the Philadelphia 76ers last Friday.

Now, I don’t need to drag you through all the water that’s crossed under that particular bridge between last year’s debacle and the current iteration of the squad that has found a modicum of confidence, but with a young and exciting team now firmly in playoff contention, led by a first-time All-Star finally making his long-awaited superstar breakout, curiosity for the Pistons and Cade Cunningham was high.

Except Cade would be absent. He was the victim of a bad landing on Evan Mobley's foot late in the previous game, a loss to the East-leading Cleveland Cavaliers. He would miss the showdown in front of the world due to an ankle sprain that would, thankfully, cost him all of one game.

Immediately, the narrative shifted to how a beleaguered Philadelphia squad boasting all members of their so-called “Big Three” for a rare occasion could use this opportunity against a Pistons squad missing the head of the snake, garner some positive momentum, and gain a much-needed win.

It seems no one told Ausar Thompson that particular script.

It’s been a weird year for Ausar reputationally, as the exploits of twin brother Amen in Houston have garnered national headlines and a top 20 spot in Bill Simmons’ annual trade value ranking on the Ringer, while Ausar has largely been forgotten by the national media following his absence through blood clots, and subsequent slow return, but his performance against Philadelphia on national TV helped bring his name back to the forefront.

Cade was a doubt all throughout the day, but whispers of his absence only grew louder when he wasn’t spotted on the court in his usual pregame warmup spot, with news filtering through shortly after that he would indeed miss. The lineup was then announced, with veteran flamethrower Malik Beasley getting the start, with all other starters remaining the same.

Interestingly, Ausar Thompson was nominally listed in the “first” spot, usually reserved for the point guard, and there was cautious optimism that JB Bickerstaff would let the second-year phenom run the offense, to a certain degree anyway, while Cade sat, and we’d not be treated to a diet of Malik Beasley isolations for 48 minutes. Beasley has been exceptional for the Pistons, but he is not a ball handler.

It took all of nine electric first-quarter minutes for Ausar and the Pistons to allay any fears that the Cade-less Pistons would be a rudderless mess. What followed instead was a masterclass of perpetual motion, as Ausar worked in perfect synchronicity with Jalen Duren and Beasley to run a style of offense not seen by the team this season.

Where the team, rightly, I might add, plays to the strengths of their burgeoning star in Cunningham by being slightly more deliberate in the half court, operating in pick and rolls and deferring to his decision making, removing Cade from the equation turned the Pistons into a more direct, motion-oriented team running off curls, using weakside dives, and turning up their transition even more.

With Ausar as the de facto primary ball handler, the Pistons were able to play in space and play with pace. By aggressively pushing the ball up the court, the Pistons were able to force mismatches and scrambled defensive looks.

Take this example here. Ausar gets the ball in a transition setting and pushes, finding his way all the way down to the baseline with little resistance. Not sensing an opportunity, he kicks it out to a trailing Tobias Harris, who attacks a disjointed Sixers defensive setup, easily scooting past Justin Edwards, drawing a vaguely interested Joel Embiid, before dropping it off into the dunker spot where Ausar has remained, who finishes with the reverse.

This example is also good to highlight how Ausar can use his athleticism more effectively in the dunker spot, which was the cause of a lot of the frustration relating to his usage even dating back to his rookie season, where he would often be camped in the corner, a terrible place to be for a career 19% three point shooter.

If Ausar isn’t in the dunker spot, I like him off the ball most on the wing because it frees up his athleticism without being confined to the corner and allows him options. If you look at this example, Ausar is one pass away from the ball with Kelly Oubre on him. Oubre, knowing the scout, is cheating slightly off Ausar, knowing that the Sixers' game plan is to likely leave Ausar open from three and dare him to take that shot.

When Sasser swings the ball to Ausar, Oubre recovers, but shades him outside, on his dominant right hand funnily enough. The thing about wing catches vs corner catches is it becomes harder for the defender to funnel you one way without the extra help defending near the baseline provides.

Harris comes up to set a screen, which Oubre anticipates, but Ausar is able to use his athleticism to attack the paint where Oubre is funneling him. Then, it’s a levitation contest, which Ausar is not losing.

Back on the transition angle, it’s clear that Ausar is one of those rare athletes who puts fear into opposing defenses, and it’s evident when you see just how much teams collapse when he’s sprinting the floor.

This is a simple example but one that highlights his transition decision-making and rare athleticism well. As soon as Ausar gets the ball, he senses an opportunity and sprints down the court. He beats Justin Edwards so easily that it forces both Kelly Oubre and Paul George to collapse and step in front of him at the rim.

Despite the speed at which he plays, he’s still under control enough to deliver a pass right into the shooting pocket of Tim Hardaway Jr, who nails the transition three. Simple basketball, to be sure, but having an effective decision-maker in transition who is also a threat to posterize any opponent is an extra wrinkle for a team to defend.

Over the last ten years, the modern NBA has trended towards athletes who can grab long rebounds and immediately push in transition, and Ausar is no exception, as is Cade Cunningham.

Again, when you attack with speed, it forces the defense to make a decision, and again, we see Embiid forced to step up to meet Ausar, who finds a willing Jalen Duren running in transition. Duren has become a Grade A credible lob threat this season, polishing an efficient connection with Cade Cunningham that is now extending to Thompson.

But just because Ausar is a 99th percentile athlete in a league full of the best athletes in the world doesn’t minimize him to a track star only. Not only does he have Diamond League athleticism, but he also has the poise and intelligence to go with it.

The primary offense with Ausar was always going to be early opportunities in transition with a steady mix of shooters off screens in the halfcourt, but that didn’t stop the occasional pick and roll, and this is a timing masterclass.

See him directing traffic as he brings the ball up, telling Beasley to stay low in the corner before calling Isaiah Stewart over for the on-ball screen. The underrated part of this entire play isn’t the screen from Stewart (which is probably borderline, but oh well), nor is it the pristine spacing afforded by having Beasley, Harris, and Hardaway Jr all on the perimeter, leaving the paint wide open.

No, it’s the fact that when this action is initiated, it’s done with 19 seconds on the shot clock. Ausar brought the ball up with such purpose that the Sixers were barely able to catch their breath. See the perimeter defenders all rooted to the spot, watching on as Ausar attacks the screen, gets downhill, and freezes old friend Andre Drummond with a beautiful up fake before dishing to Stewart for the easy dunk.

Again, it’s a simple offense, but its effectiveness is due to the speed and urgency with which it is run.

The Point Ausar experiment has legs, even if Ausar himself is still finding his. You see the results diminish as the game goes on, as it becomes clear he is still finding his oxygen after his blood clot diagnosis almost a year ago now.

Still, if the Pistons can work in more looks as Ausar's primary ball handler, it frees up so much offense for Cade Cunningham as well. We’ve seen his effectiveness being allowed to play off the ball, an aspect of the offense that basically disappeared when Jaden Ivey went down, but with Ausar developing and Dennis Schroder now in the fold, every effort should be made to throw multiple ball handling looks at defences.

It allows Cade valuable rest during possessions rather than shouldering the load, and it helps get Ausar involved in the offense by using his athleticism rather than shackling him in the corner where he helps no one.

Malik Beasley was the star of this game with his career-high 36 points, but Ausar was the fulcrum around which the entire offense revolved while Cade was out, and he needs to stay involved moving forward.

Source: https://www.detroitbadboys.com/2025/2/12/24364099/ausar-thompson-point-guard-chaos

 

[Detroit Pistons]

NBA All-Star Game: Cade Cunningham seeks to take inaugural tourney

Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

New tournament format offers some intrigue

Cade Cunningham is entering his first All-Star game at a time when the game itself has never looked more different. The fourth-year guard is playing in the NBA All-Star game’s new multi-team tournament format.

He is the first Piston player to make the All-Star team since Blake Griffin in 2019. In prior years a player like Cunningham would be able to easily rack up highlights in a no-defense exhibition that features guards tossing an endless series of alley-oops to the league’s best wings and big men.

This year, maybe it’s completely different ... or too depressingly the same. In an effort to inject some competition and effort into the flagship night, the league is creating a four-team tournament format. There are three eight-player teams and the team that won the Rising Stars Challenge on Saturday.

Cuninngham will play on Kenny’s Young Stars team alongside Evan Mobley, his 2021 draft mate, Anthony Edwards, Jalen Williams, Jaren Jackson Jr., Darius Garland, Tyler Herro and Jalen Brunson. The team is coached by Kenny Smith.

Game Vitals​

When: 8;20 p.m. ET (Young Stars vs. Global Stars); 9:10 p.m. ET (Rising Stars vs. OGs); 10 p.m. ET (final)
Where: Chase Center, San Francisco, California
Watch: TNT, TBS, and Tru TV
Streaming: Max

NBA All-Star Game Format​

Easy — untimed games where two teams face off against one another and the first team to 40 points wins. Two winning teams advance to the finals and play another untimed game to 40. The players on the title team get $125,000 each. Runners-up get $50,000 each. Third-and fourth-place teams get $25,000 each.

All-Star Rosters​

Kenny’s Young Stars​

Jalen Brunson, Cade Cunningham, Anthony Edwards, Darius Garland, Tyler Herro, Jaren Jackson Jr., Evan Mobley, Jalen Williams

Coach: Kenny Smith

Chuck’s Global Stars​

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Nikola Jokic, Donovan Mitchell, Alperen Sengun, Pascal Siakam, Karl-Anthony Towns, Victor Wembanyama, Trae Young, Giannis Antetokounmpo

Coach: Charles Barkley

Shaq’s OGs​

Jaylen Brown, Steph Curry, Kevin Durant, James Harden, Kyrie Irving, LeBron James, Damian Lillard, Jayson Tatum

Coach: Shaquille O’Neal

Candace’s Rising Stars​

Stephon Castle, Dalton Knecht, Jaylen Wells, Keyonte George, Zach Edey, Trayce Jackson-Davis, Ryan Dunn, Amen Thompson

Coach: Candace Parker

Source: https://www.detroitbadboys.com/2025...troit-pistons-seeks-to-take-inaugural-tourney

 

[Detroit Pistons]

All Star Weekend with The Pindown

Discussing Cade’s star power, Ausur’s surge & more!

It’s All Star Weekend and the Pistons have absolutely surged into the break. Blake and Wes break it all down as they talk some shop with the dunk contest and Friday’s rising stars tournament. They also discuss a few examples of Cade’s growing star power in the NBA — a fitting conversation for an All Star podcast. Finally, they dive into the team’s record with and without Jaden Ivey, if Ausar Thompson’s spectacular play is sustainable and what an All-NBA appearance will do to Cade’s contract.

We’ve got you covered for all this and more in this week’s episode.

Detroit Bad Boys YouTube

Follow Wes Davenport on Twitter @TheRealWesD3

Follow Blake Silverman on Twitter @BlakeSilverman

Follow Sean Corp on Twitter @sean_corp

The Pindown: A Detroit Pistons Podcast is your home for fan-driven Pistons content. Hosted by Wes Davenport, from Motor City Hoops and producer of the Pistons Pulse Podcast, and Blake Silverman, DBB’s resident draft expert covering both the Pistons and the Motor City Cruise. The guys bring a reasoned analysis to a uniquely interactive show. And if you want to hear your voice on the podcast, call (313) 355-2717 and leave your question as a voicemail. The guys will play your message and answer your question on that week’s episode! All we ask is that you keep your questions to under 45 seconds.

Source: https://www.detroitbadboys.com/2025/2/17/24367022/all-star-weekend-with-the-pindown

 

[Detroit Pistons]

Submit your questions for The Pindown: A Detroit Pistons Podcast

Tune in live Thursday at 8 p.m. ET to join in on the conversation.

It’s mailbag time!

Send in your questions now for this week’s episode of The Pindown: A Detroit Pistons Podcast where we’ll discuss the past week of Pistons basketball. Submit your question to the comments section here or on X/Twitter to @TheRealWesD3 and/or @blakesilverman.

Join us live on Thursday at 8 p.m. ET for the show where we’ll talk through the past week of Pistons’ basketball, including everything trade deadline. What are your hopes for the Pistons after the All-Star break? Does Cade Cunningham need to do anything else to cement himself into All-NBA conversations? How many wins do the Pistons need to finish with the No. 6 seed or better?

Plus, The Pindown has a phone line where you can leave a message and hear your voice on the show. Call (313) 355-2717 and leave us a voicemail with your question. Please try to keep the message around 45 seconds or less so we can fit everyone into the show.

The podcast will be uploaded to all audio platforms the following morning.

The Pindown: A Detroit Pistons Podcast Vitals:​

When: Thursday February 20th at 8 p.m. ET

Where: Detroit Bad Boys YouTube Channel

How to submit questions:

• Detroit Bad Boys Website: Comment section of the weekly Pindown episode articles.
• Call (313) 355-2717 and leave us a voicemail with your question. Please try to keep the message to 45 seconds or less.
• Twitter: @detroitbadboys, @blakesilverman or @therealwesd3
• YouTube: Chat section of The Pindown live recording — Subscribe here

As always, leave any questions or topics you want to be discussed in the comment section below.

Listen to the show’s recording the following morning wherever you listen to your podcasts.

• Apple Podcasts
• Spotify

Last Week’s Show:​

Source: https://www.detroitbadboys.com/2025/2/19/24368812/pindown-detroit-pistons-podcast

 

[Detroit Pistons]

Pistons vs. Spurs GameThread: Game Time, TV, Odds, and More

Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

Cade Cunningham and Ausar Thompson go from All-Star festivities back to leading Pistons to the playoffs

The Detroit Pistons are back into the thick of fighting for the playoffs, led by All-Star Cade Cunningham. The San Antonio Spurs, who are hosting the Pistons tonight, were supposed to be in the same scenario out west. Unfortunately, it was discovered that Spurs superstar Victor Wembanyama is dealing with a blood clot issue and will miss the remainder of the season. Now you wonder if San Antonio will even be particularly interested in the playoff push for the remainder of the season. They faced their first test on Thursday night and ended up beating the Phoenix Suns. Now, a day later, we will see how much fight they have left in them against a well-rested and hopefully raring-to-go Pistons team.

Game Vitals​

When: 8:30 p.m. ET
Where: Moody Center, San Antonio, Texas
Watch: Fan Duel Sports Network Detroit
Odds: Pistons -4.5

Projected Lineups​

Detroit Pistons (29-26)
Cade Cunningham, Tim Hardaway Jr., Ausar Thompson, Tobias Harris, Jalen Duren

San Antonio Spurs (24-29)
Chris Paul, De’Aaron Fox, Devin Vassell, Harrison Barnes, Jeremy Sochan

Source: https://www.detroitbadboys.com/2025...o-spurs-gamethread-game-time-tv-odds-and-more

 

[Detroit Pistons]

Pistons vs Spurs final score: In a game of runs, Detroit show out in front of fans in Texas

Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images

The Detroit Pistons duo continue to string dominant games together

When the schedule dropped, this was supposed to be a battle between two No. 1 picks in their breakout season. Cade Cunningham was ready for the duel, but Victor Wembanyama is out for the year with blood clots (get well soon, Wemby).

The Detroit Pistons guard didn’t disappoint playing in his home state. This game was played in Austin instead of San Antonio. Fresh off All-Star weekend, he carved up the Spurs with 25 points and 12 assists, shooting 8/10 from 2-point range and 3/4 from deep. That’s our All-NBA guard doing All-NBA things, but Tobias Harris kept Detroit in it early, and Jalen Duren’s fingerprints were all over this one. He dominated with a 21/15/5 stat line.

Point Ausar was a thing from the opening tip as he lined up in the PG spot again to receive a Jalen Duren back tap. Those two sparked a 9-2 Pistons run to start the game. We got an early Duren-to-Ausar lob followed by a Cade-to-Duren transition bucket that led to a Spurs timeout.

The All-Star break paid dividends for the Pistons. They were fresh and got off to a Flash-like start. Their first-quarter defense was handsy and active, forcing three turnovers in the first three minutes.

The tide in the first quarter shifted when Stephon Castle checked in. His speed and aggression immediately popped. He drilled a one-legged two to end the quarter, but the Pistons left the first with a 9-point advantage.

The momentum swung the Spurs way in the second. Keldon Johnson abused the backups and sparked a Spurs run. His infectious energy showed up with him getting shoulder-to-chest buckets and sky-scraping offensive rebounds. He got the crowd involved when he yelled into the Texas Longhorns crowd when San Antonio tied the game 39 a piece. He led the way with 28 points for San Antonio.

The Pistons starters couldn’t shake the Spur’s momentum initially. Newcomer DeeAron Fox charged the 10-0 run. He was a pest guarding Cade and poked the ball loose from him a few times in this one— he led the Spurs with 10 points in the 2nd. Tobias Harris didn’t dodge any smoke. He kept Detroit in the game, bailing them out with timely shots that kept the Spurs’ lead from snowballing. Harris led Detroit with 18 in the 1st half—he didn’t miss a shot, going 6/6 overall and sinking both of his triples. Detroit went on their own 10-2 run to snatch the lead back before the intermission. Shoutout to Tobias Harris.

“Jalen Duren has been a man and a half to start the second half.” I couldn’t agree more with George Blaha. Duren kept his foot on the Spurs’ neck to kick off the third. He played Bismack Biyombo off the floor with crafty post moves and brute strength.

Nothing changed when Sandro Mamukelashvili checked in, as Duren immediately got downhill against him, too. The Pistons’ lead grew larger: we got some nasty Cade finishes and some string music 3s between him and Tim Hardaway Jr. It’s only right that Malik Beasley got in on the 3-point action. He chipped in with 7 points in the period. Detroit manhandled San Antonio 38 to 18 in the 3rd. The Pistons left the Spurs shell-shocked and slammed the door on the Wemby-less Spurs.

This game was over before the 4th started, but that didn’t stop Detroit from adding to their season-long highlight tapes. Duren had two neck-turning dunks.

HE TOO BIG @JalenDuren https://t.co/0fhtr16rCO pic.twitter.com/H6NWgNOd0P

— Detroit Pistons (@DetroitPistons) February 22, 2025​

https://t.co/Pv1kkTiBuk pic.twitter.com/6ekT2COrP2

— Detroit Pistons (@DetroitPistons) February 22, 2025​

This lob from Cade should make Pistons fans think about the next few years of this combo. That is filthy. Duren’s been stringing together great games this entire month. He was more than a man amongst boys tonight. The playmaking for others and active defense pick in roll situations were still there, plus the highlight slams. This is the Duren that makes extension talks interesting.

The Pistons move to 30-26, staying put in the 6th seed. Orlando dropped a game to the Memphis Grizzles tonight, and the Heat snuck by Toronto on the road. Next up for the Pistons are the Atlanta Hawks. Detroit is looking to avenge their last loss to the Hawks, which came at the hands of an Ice Trae game-winner.

Source: https://www.detroitbadboys.com/2025...ame-of-runs-detroit-show-out-in-front-of-fans

 

[Detroit Pistons]

The Pindown: Down the Stretch We Go

Discussing playoff seeding, offseason plans & more!

The final stretch of the season begins on Friday, and the Pistons are in prime position to finish strong. This team has exceeded every expectation placed upon them, and Blake and Wes are here to walk through everything from possible playoff rotations to seeding. Does the Wembanyama injury help Cade make an All-NBA team? Will the Pistons be able to surpass the Milwaukee Bucks? The Pacers?

We’ve got you covered for all this and more in this week’s episode.

Detroit Bad Boys YouTube

Follow Wes Davenport on Twitter @TheRealWesD3

Follow Blake Silverman on Twitter @BlakeSilverman

Follow Sean Corp on Twitter @sean_corp

The Pindown: A Detroit Pistons Podcast is your home for fan-driven Pistons content. Hosted by Wes Davenport, from Motor City Hoops and producer of the Pistons Pulse Podcast, and Blake Silverman, DBB’s resident draft expert covering both the Pistons and the Motor City Cruise. The guys bring a reasoned analysis to a uniquely interactive show. And if you want to hear your voice on the podcast, call (313) 355-2717 and leave your question as a voicemail. The guys will play your message and answer your question on that week’s episode! All we ask is that you keep your questions to under 45 seconds.

Source: https://www.detroitbadboys.com/2025/2/21/24369689/the-pindown-down-the-stretch-we-go