The Detroit Pistons improved to 2-0 with a 128-111 victory over the Miami Heat on Friday night, overcoming a 36-point performance from Giannis Antetokounmpo to leave Miami winless after two games.
John Collins led Detroit with 23 points, shooting 9-for-15 from the field and 5-for-6 from three-point range. Paul Reed added 19 points and 11 rebounds off the bench, while former Heat guard Duncan Robinson scored 17 points and Cade Cunningham contributed 16 points and eight assists.
Detroit took control immediately, opening the game with a 17-2 run and leading 41-26 after the first quarter. The Pistons maintained their advantage through the second period to take a 65-53 lead into halftime, then outscored Miami 38-27 in the third to extend the margin.
Antetokounmpo finished with 36 points, 12 rebounds and five assists, shooting 15-for-26 from the field. Davion Mitchell added 18 points and five assists, while Bobby Portis Jr. contributed 11 points and eight rebounds off the bench.
Miami struggled to find consistent offense around its leading scorers. The Heat shot just 38% from the field and 29% from three-point range, making 15 of 51 attempts from beyond the arc. Klay Thompson scored six points on 2-for-11 shooting, missing all nine of his two-point attempts and making two three-pointers. Bam Adebayo finished with four points and six rebounds in 23 minutes while dealing with foul trouble.
The defeat extended Miami’s difficult defensive start. The Heat have allowed 259 points across their first two games, a franchise record for that span, and have been outscored by a combined 42 points. Miami is 0-2 for only the eighth time in its 39-year history.
Detroit’s victory came with injury concerns. Ausar Thompson left in the third quarter after an awkward fall, while Jalen Duren played only 10 minutes before exiting with a right thigh issue. Both players were scheduled for further evaluation Saturday, with no additional update available after the game.
The Pistons are 2-0 for the first time since the 2018-19 season. They begin a three-game road stretch in Philadelphia on Sunday before visiting the defending NBA champion New York Knicks on Tuesday. Miami will try to earn its first win when it visits the Charlotte Hornets on Saturday.
