Ron Holland II delivered a standout performance, scoring 14 of his season-high 26 points in the fourth quarter to help the Detroit Pistons (40-32) secure a 136-130 win over the New Orleans Pelicans (19-53) on Sunday.
Holland played nearly the entire fourth quarter, making all five of his shots as Detroit outscored New Orleans 43-39 in the final period. The Pistons won for the third time in four games and moved within a game of the Milwaukee Bucks for the No. 5 seed in the Eastern Conference.
Jalen Duren added 22 points and 12 rebounds for Detroit, which was without All-Star guard Cade Cunningham due to a calf injury. Marcus Sasser contributed 20 points off the bench, complementing Holland’s strong outing.
CJ McCollum led the Pelicans with 40 points and seven assists, but it wasn’t enough to overcome Detroit’s offensive surge. Jordan Hawkins made six three-pointers and finished with 25 points, while Jose Alvarado, Kelly Olynyk, and Jeremiah Robinson-Earl each recorded at least seven assists.
The game remained competitive throughout, with both teams shooting 65% in a high-scoring fourth quarter. Detroit took control late, making key shots and free throws to fend off a resilient New Orleans squad.
