Pistons' win streak reaches five with 113-98 victory vs. Nets

Coty M. Davis, The Detroit News on Jan 8, 2025

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Malik Beasley has never been shy about shooting. He began the year as one of the league's best 3-point shooters, connecting on 41.1% of his shots during the first 28 games. However, Beasley experienced a drop-off in his percentage, shooting 34.6% from behind the arc over the last eight games.

But Wednesday night against the Brooklyn Nets, Beasley had a solid performance. However, most of his offensive production came from inside the arc, as he shot 9 of 17 from the field en route to a 23-point outing. His play helped lead the Pistons to a 113-98 win over the Nets at Barclays Center. He shot 4 for 11 from 3-point range.

The Pistons took care of business against a depleted Nets team that had 10 players on the injury report, headlined by former All-Star and No. 1 pick Ben Simmons. Despite being shorthanded, the Nets put up a good fight against the surging Pistons, but Detroit was able to use several scoreless runs to create enough separation.

With 5:37 left in the third quarter, Noah Clowney converted a turnover by Tobias Harris into a two-handed dunk. His basket helped the Nets cut their once 14-point deficit to six (70-64). Clowney led Brooklyn with a career-best 27 points, six rebounds and two steals.

Harris corrected his mishap on the next possession with a fadeaway jump shot, igniting a 9-0 run. The Pistons outscored the Nets 14-2 over the next three minutes. By the end of the period, Detroit held a 91-70 lead.

While extending their winning streak to five, the Pistons also improved their overall record to 19-18.

Simone Fontecchio had his best performance of the season with 17 points on 7-of-11 shooting and 3-of-5 shooting from deep. Marcus Sasser added 15 points on 5-of-7 shooting from behind the arc.

Detroit did not need an All-Star caliber performance from Cade Cunningham to take care of the Nets. He finished the night with a modest 13 points, five assists and five rebounds. He came into Brooklyn averaging 36 points over the last two games.

Observations and notes vs. Nets

— Injury update on Thompson: Ausar Thompson missed his second consecutive game due to an undisclosed illness. Before the game, Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff did not reveal Thompson's sickness but gave a slight update on his status, stating that "he’s feeling a little bit better" and that the team will re-evaluate him on Thursday.

— Taken care of business: Detroit's road contest in Brooklyn was the first of a back-to-back set, so the Pistons needed to take care of business early. Although they had to shake off a mediocre start, the Pistons' core group rested for most of the fourth quarter. Cunningham, Harris, Jalen Duren and Tim Hardaway Jr. sat out the entire fourth period.

— Klintman makes NBA debut: With the Pistons holding a 22-point lead with 4:17 left in the fourth quarter, Bobi Klintman made his long-awaited debut. He played four minutes and pulled down a pair of rebounds.

Up next

The Pistons will return home on Thursday night for the second game of a back-to-back set against the Golden State Warriors. They will play four of their next five games on their home floor. Tipoff between the Pistons and Warriors is slated for 7:00 p.m. at Little Caesars Arena.