The Detroit Pistons responded to a recent slump with one of their most efficient offensive performances of the season, defeating the Brooklyn Nets 138-100 on Tuesday night at Barclays Center.
Detroit entered the matchup after dropping four straight games but controlled the contest from the opening tip behind Jalen Duren’s interior scoring and Cade Cunningham’s playmaking. The Eastern Conference leaders improved to 46-18 and maintained their position atop the standings.
Duren led the way with 26 points on 9-of-10 shooting, adding four rebounds, two blocks and two steals in 23 minutes. The center repeatedly finished around the rim, converting pick-and-roll opportunities and capitalizing on Brooklyn’s interior defense.
Cunningham directed the offense with 21 points and 15 assists while shooting 8-of-10 from the field and 4-of-5 from 3-point range. The All-Star guard controlled the tempo early, creating high-percentage looks that helped Detroit build separation before halftime.
The Pistons never trailed and established control in the first quarter. Cunningham and Duren combined for 21 points in the period as Detroit shot 57 percent from the field and took a 38-27 lead.
The game turned decisively in the second quarter when Detroit outscored Brooklyn 35-13. Ball movement and spacing generated open perimeter looks, while the defense limited the Nets to difficult attempts, producing a 73-40 halftime advantage.
Detroit maintained its efficiency throughout the night. The Pistons finished 48-of-85 from the field (56 percent) and 16-of-32 from beyond the arc, a 50 percent clip that stretched Brooklyn’s defense and opened the paint for cutters and rollers.
Duncan Robinson provided spacing with 15 points on a perfect 6-of-6 shooting performance, including 3-of-3 from three-point range. Marcus Sasser added 14 points while hitting four three-pointers, giving Detroit consistent scoring from the backcourt.
The Pistons also generated balanced contributions off the bench. Ronald Holland II scored 16 points, while Isaiah Stewart grabbed eight rebounds to help Detroit win the rebounding battle 40-31.
Brooklyn struggled to generate consistent offense against Detroit’s defensive pressure. Michael Porter Jr. led the Nets with 19 points, while Jalen Wilson added 14 points off the bench.
The Nets shot 29-of-69 from the field (42 percent) and committed 17 turnovers, several of which fueled Detroit transition opportunities.
Saturday’s meeting between the teams produced a different outcome. Brooklyn snapped a 10-game losing streak in that contest after erasing a 23-point deficit, but Detroit answered with a wire-to-wire performance in the rematch.
Detroit will return home to face the Philadelphia 76ers on Thursday, while Brooklyn travels to Atlanta for its next game.
