The Detroit Pistons are far from winning their fourth Larry O'Brien Trophy, but competing for the franchise's first NBA Cup has been a significant sign of growth.

Since the start of the league's second annual in-season tournament on Nov. 12, coach J.B. Bickerstaff and several players have said that the team has taken each tournament game with urgency, knowing that the pursuit of the Emirates NBA Cup leads to respect and extra incentives if they are able to win the big one in Las Vegas.

Friday night, the Pistons extended their tournament winning streak to three with a 130-106 victory over the Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Detroit and the Milwaukee Bucks are tied at 3-0 in East Group B. A win over the Bucks Tuesday night would not only advance the Pistons to the quarterfinals but also give them a chance to host the game at Little Caesars Arena.

Cade Cunningham returned to the lineup after missing the previous three games due to a joint injury. He extended his double-double streak with 24 points and 10 assists, including four 3-point field goals. With 4:47 left in the third quarter, Cunningham registered his third triple, which gave Detroit its biggest lead of the night at 85-64.

Meanwhile, Tobias Harris also returned to the lineup after missing the previous game due to a hip injury and added 16 points and five rebounds. Including Cunningham and Harris, six players scored in double figures. Jaden Ivey scored 23, Jalen Duren had 14 points and 12 rebounds, and Tim Hardaway Jr. netted 10 points. Malik Beasley led the way for Detroit with 25 points on 10-of-14 shooting, 5-of-9 shooting from deep.

With the win, the Pistons officially eliminated Indiana from in-season tournament contention. Pascal Siakam scored 21 to lead Indiana. Tyrese Haliburton added 19 while Bennedict Mathurin finished with 16.

Observations vs. Pacers

— Pistons finally maintain a sizzling start.

The Pistons have had several games in which they began the night connecting on all cylinders. But for one reason or another, they would allow their opponents to get back into the game and, in some instances, complete a comeback victory. However, against the Pacers, the Pistons flipped the script.

They dominated the first quarter, shooting 61.9% from the field and making five 3-pointers. Beasley's 3-point field goal with 1:39 left in the period gave the Pistons a 12-point advantage, 33-21. Although the Pacers battled back and cut their deficit down to three early in the second, the Pistons regained momentum with a 15-4 run. With the win, Detroit improved to 9-12 when leading after the first period.

— Beasley for Sixth Man of the Year contention?

ESPN recently conducted a poll of the top five players who are in the early running for Sixth Man of the Year honors. The Boston Celtics' Payton Pritchard received 55% of the vote for first place. However, the absence of Malik Beasley was noteworthy, and his performance against the Pacers illustrated why the veteran guard should be considered.

Beasley has been one of the league's top contributors off the bench, averaging 13.6 points on 35.5% shooting from behind the arc. It is also worth noting that Beasley has made a significant impact on the Pistons' success, both on and off the court.

— Pistons end losing streak against Pacers

Since the 2022-23 season, the Pistons have had their fair share of struggles against the Pacers, dropping seven of the previous nine games in the head-to-head matchup. However, with the win, Detroit ended a five-game losing streak against Indiana.

Up next

The Pistons return to Detroit for a two-game homestand. On Saturday, they welcome the Philadelphia 76ers to Little Caesars Arena, marking their sixth back-to-back set of the season. The Pistons will also take on the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday. Tipoff between the Pistons and Sixers is slated for 7 p.m.

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