Cade’s crew surge late as pistons vs nuggets enters the home stretch in Detroit

The second meeting of the season between Detroit and Denver has tilted toward the hosts, with the pistons vs nuggets clash turning into a showcase of pace, pressure, and perimeter shot-making. Status: Live — fourth quarter at Little Caesars Arena on Tuesday, February 3, 2026 (local date). Below are the running details plus key context and timings for multiple time zones.

Score & Status — pistons vs nuggets

• Status: Live (Q4)

• Score: Detroit Pistons 112–103 Denver Nuggets

• Venue: Little Caesars Arena, Detroit

Kickoff (Time Zones)

• USA (ET) — Tue, Feb 3, 7:00 p.m.

• USA (PT) — Tue, Feb 3, 4:00 p.m.

• Canada (Toronto) — Tue, Feb 3, 7:00 p.m.

• UK (London) — Wed, Feb 4, 12:00 a.m.

Live Timeline (Key Moments)

• 1’: Detroit’s energy shows early with Cade Cunningham probing; Jalen Duren cleans the glass for second-chance points.

• 8’: Nuggets counter through Jamal Murray’s pull-ups; Denver keeps it close as Nikola Jokić directs traffic from the elbow.

• End 1st: Pistons 32–27 Nuggets — hosts win the boards and the foul line.

• 16’: Detroit breaks it open; Duncan Robinson splashes from deep, and Tobias Harris punishes mismatches on the block.

• Halftime: Pistons 69–50 — a 37–23 second quarter built on pace and corner threes.

• 30’: Denver punch-back — a 10–2 run keyed by Murray in transition and Jokić’s kick-outs trims the gap.

• End 3rd: Pistons 93–80 — visitors take the quarter 30–24 but still trail.

• 40’: Fourth-quarter chess — Caris LeVert’s on-ball defense slows Denver’s guards; Isaiah Stewart’s put-back steadies Detroit.

• 44’: Nuggets close within single digits after Tim Hardaway Jr. drills a wing three, but Detroit answers through Cunningham’s late-clock pull-up.

• 46–47’: Free throws and clock control: Pistons manage the margin with disciplined half-court sets as pistons vs nuggets heads to the final minutes.

Standout Performers & Turning Points

• Cade Cunningham: late-game control — changes pace, attacks switches, and creates high-quality looks at the rim and arc.

• Tobias Harris: veteran shot-making — timely mid-post buckets that blunted Denver’s third-quarter surge.

• Jalen Duren: interior deterrence and second chances — his rebounding tilt has been pivotal.

• Nikola Jokić: orchestration remains elite — handoff game and cross-court lasers kept Denver within reach.

• Turning point: Detroit’s 37–23 second quarter; spacing around Cunningham flipped the geometry and forced Denver into scramble closeouts.

Lineups & Shape (confirmed)

• Detroit Pistons (spread 5-out/4-out, 1-in looks):
  Starters — Cade Cunningham, Duncan Robinson, Ausar Thompson, Tobias Harris, Jalen Duren.
  Key bench — Isaiah Stewart, Caris LeVert, Ronald Holland II, Javonte Green.

• Denver Nuggets (horns/elbow hub through Jokić):
  Starters — Jamal Murray, Jalen Pickett, Christian Braun, Peyton Watson, Nikola Jokić.
  Key bench — Tim Hardaway Jr., Jonas Valančiūnas, Bruce Brown, Julian Strawther.

Match Stats (if available)

(Quarter splits to this point: DET 32–27, 37–23, 24–30; Q4 in progress.)

What It Means — pistons vs nuggets

Detroit are protecting a statement home win that would reinforce their Eastern lead and extend a strong homestand, while Denver’s rally underscores their resilience even shorthanded. If the current trend holds, the pistons vs nuggets season series swings firmly toward Detroit on aggregate performance, with late-game offense from Cunningham and half-court rebounding as the separating factors. Expect both staffs to mine this tape for playoff-speed adjustments if these teams see each other again.

For Upcoming Matches (preview mode only)

• Form (last 5): Detroit trending up with blowout wins sprinkled in; Denver competitive despite absences.

• Injuries/Suspensions: Rotations tweaked on both sides due to recent knocks and roster moves.

• Prediction: With spacing around Cunningham and the glass owned by Duren/Stewart, Detroit to close it out by two possessions unless Murray detonates late.