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The Pistons have not given much to be excited about over the last 10 years. Outside of two playoff appearances (without even a win to show for it), the team has not done much of note. However, over an 82-game season, there are moments that will always stick out. Back on November 8, 2015, the 4-1 Pistons were facing the 4-2 Portland Trail Blazers; And one of those moments happened.
The Pistons were a surprise team to start the season and were actually fun, led by an Andre Drummond breakout season and Reggie Jackson starting his first full-season with the team. An early-season West Coast game generally does not stand out as something to remember, but this game was.
Entering the fourth quarter down 13, the Pistons were well on their way to dropping this game. An early season loss on the west coast likely wouldn’t matter that much in the grand scheme of things, but it would hurt the positive momentum the Pistons had from their hot start to the season.
Then, Reggie Jackson decided to go nuclear:
Reggie tied Will Bynum for the franchise record for points in a quarter with 26, as the Pistons turned what appeared to be a double-digit loss into a double-digit win. Reggie finished the game with 40 points and thoroughly dominated Damian Lillard on both ends of the court, helping Detroit outscore the Blazers 41-11 in the fourth quarter.
That 2015-16 season would end up being a career year for Reggie Jackson, as he would finish the season averaging 18.8 points and 6.2 assists on 43 percent shooting from the field and 35 percent shooting from three. And that game against Portland was everything great about Reggie Jackson from that season put on display: Clutch scoring, tough floaters, attacking the rim, step-back mid range jumpers, and even a few three-pointers.
Reggie Jackson gets a lot of flack these days for not being able to stay healthy, resulting in a dropoff in production. But it is important to remember him for just how much fun he was during this season. He was the leading scorer on a 44-win playoff team (the first Pistons playoff team in seven years). Him and Andre Drummond had great chemistry, and he helped Andre Drummond capture his first All-Star appearance.
It is very likely that Reggie Jackson never has a game like this in his career ever again. In fact, I don’t think anybody on the team will EVER have a game like this again. This game was fun and one that I will always remember. It’s tough to stay up for an early-season West coast game, especially one where the Pistons were down 13 heading into the fourth. But Reggie Jackson rewarded all of the night owls with a game, and a season, to remember.