The Detroit Pistons pulled off a dramatic comeback to edge the Sacramento Kings 114-113 on Thursday night. Jaden Ivey’s clutch four-point play with three seconds remaining sealed the victory after the Pistons rallied from a 19-point second-half deficit.
Ivey sank a corner three-pointer while being fouled by De’Aaron Fox, then calmly hit the free throw to put Detroit ahead. Fox’s halfcourt heave at the buzzer fell short, cementing Sacramento’s fifth consecutive loss.
Cade Cunningham led Detroit with 33 points, shooting 11-for-12 from the free-throw line and adding 10 assists. Malik Beasley contributed 22 points off the bench, knocking down six of his 11 three-point attempts.
The Kings played without All-Star Domantas Sabonis, sidelined due to illness. Fox carried the offensive load for Sacramento, finishing with 26 points, while Trey Lyles added 20 points, including 15 in the first half.
Sacramento appeared in control early, building a 68-53 halftime lead behind 54% shooting. Lyles sparked a 17-4 second-quarter run with 13 unanswered points, helping the Kings stretch their advantage to 16.
Detroit responded in the second half, outscoring Sacramento 61-45. The Pistons tightened their defense, holding the Kings to just two field goals in the final three minutes and 36 seconds. They also dominated the fourth quarter, outscoring Sacramento 37-22.
Ivey’s heroics marked the latest highlight in a promising stretch for Detroit, which has now won three straight games. The Pistons improved to 14-17 on the season, matching their win total from last year.
Sacramento’s woes continued as the team fell to 13-18. The five-game losing streak is their longest since Mike Brown took over as head coach in 2022.
The Pistons benefited from contributions across the roster. Jalen Duren posted 13 points and 10 rebounds, while Ausar Thompson grabbed eight boards off the bench. Detroit’s defense forced 14 turnovers and limited Sacramento to 35.9% shooting from beyond the arc.
For the Kings, Keegan Murray recorded 11 points and 12 rebounds but struggled from deep, hitting just one of seven three-point attempts. DeMar DeRozan added 19 points but was held scoreless in the fourth quarter.
