Inside the Article:
The Detroit Pistons struggled in the third quarter, committing seven turnovers and outscored by seven points, leading to a 121-109 loss against the San Antonio Spurs. The Pistons and Spurs combined for 32 turnovers in the game, with the Pistons leading in that category with 15. Bojan Bogdanovic led Detroit with 21 points, and Killian Hayes had 18 points, seven assists, and five steals. Jaden Ivey added 20 points and five assists for the Pistons, while Spurs point guard Tre Jones led all players with 25 points. The Pistons’ poor third quarter was costly, as they trailed by double digits multiple times during the second half, and the Spurs shot 55.6% overall and made 12 more free throws.
Why it matters: The Pistons’ third-quarter struggles and high turnover count led to their loss against the Spurs. If they want to improve their record, they will need to find a way to limit their mistakes and execute better in key moments of the game.
Detroit Pistons vs. Spurs By the Numbers
- The Pistons had 15 turnovers, while the Spurs had 17.
- The Pistons shot 46.8% overall and made 18 of 22 free throws.
- The Spurs shot 55.6% overall and made 30 of 36 free throws.
What they are saying:
- “It was a sloppy game all around, as the Pistons and Spurs combined for 32 turnovers…But Detroit had the worst quarter of the night and thus lost. In addition to their seven turnovers in the third, the Pistons were outscored by seven points in the period. Many of their turnovers were the result of poor passes and miscommunication, rather than savvy defensive plays.” – Pistons coach Dwane Casey.
- “With Hayes back in the lineup on Wednesday. Ivey looked much better, and Casey adjusted his rotation accordingly on Friday. Ivey shared all of his minutes with either Hayes or Joseph and had a strong night. Casey substituted Hayes for Joseph less than four minutes into the first quarter, and then took Ivey out with 3:47 to play in the quarter.” – on the decision to pair Jaden Ivey with Killian Hayes and Cory Joseph.
