No Andre Drummond, no problem.
Well, for tonight at least. Let’s not stretch it any further than that.
The Pistons were playing without their franchise big man (out with a sprained ankle), but Aron Baynes and the Detroit bench led the charge for a relatively easy 104-88 win.
The game was tight in the first until the reserves hit the floor in the second half. The second unit stretched the lead out to double digits before handing it back to the starters, who kept things going. The Pistons went on a 13-0 run and never looked back.
The Pistons continue their excellent defense at the Palace. They’ve held all five of their opponents under 90 points at home, holding four of those teams under 40 percent shooting from the field. The Thunder shot just 37 percent from the field and 18 percent from three.
Russell Westbrook did some Russell Westbrook things in the first half, scoring 25 points - thanks in a large part to 10 free throw attempts. He was much quieter after halftime though, finishing with 33 points, 8 assists, 13 rebounds, and 7 turnovers. He also only had 2 second half free throws.
Baynes got the start in Drummond’s absence and made the most of it. His 33 minutes were actually a career high and his 20 points was just short of his career high. He did take a tough shot to the nose late in the fourth quarter, not great for a fella only a few weeks removed from surgery for his latest broken nose.
Tobias Harris just continues to be dang excellent for the Pistons. His efficient 22 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists are becoming something we can just pencil in before the opening tip - he also added a steal, two blocks, and didn’t commit any turnovers.
The consecutive wins are especially nice coming off a rough road trip out west that included a three game losing streak. Next up is a trip to the Madison Square Garden to face the New York Knicks on Wednesday, which will be an important one to win with some tough opponents looming.
ROLL CALL:
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