Thunder Vs Pistons: Detroit beats depleted OKC as Duren dominates and Ausar answers after benching
In a game shaped by absences and second-unit bursts, thunder vs pistons saw Detroit pull away after halftime and hold off an Oklahoma City comeback. The result mattered because OKC was missing much of its regular rotation and Detroit leaned on Jalen Duren, bench energy and timely defense to build the margin.
OKC’s rotation was largely sidelined but starters rallied early
The Thunder were listed as missing Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Willians, Isaiah Hartenstein, Chet Holmgren, Alex Caruso and Ajay Mitchell. Even so, Oklahoma City held a 17-16 lead halfway through the first quarter and saw seven different Thunder players score in the opening period. That unit closed the quarter on a 15-2 run to lead 34-22.
Jalen Duren’s inside work forced a Detroit lead at halftime
Detroit leaned on Jalen Duren to counter the depleted Thunder frontcourt. Early Duren led his team in field-goal attempts while totaling eight points and three rebounds in the first phase of the game. By halftime he had surged to 18 points and seven rebounds as Detroit finished the second quarter on a 10-2 run to take a 58-52 lead, and Oklahoma City did not have an answer for him down low.
Thunder Vs Pistons: Ron Holland and Paul Reed spark second-quarter momentum
The Pistons called on their 9-to-5 crew to kick-start a comeback in the second quarter. Ron Holland showed his customary defense and paired with Paul Reed on offensive rebounds that created extra possessions; there was a sequence when the two combined for three straight boards over the Thunder and Holland finished with a layup. Despite a recent slump from deep, Holland’s effort on the glass stood out.
Ausar Thompson replaces Caris LeVert and changes the flow
Ausar Thompson entered after Caris LeVert picked up his third foul and produced a standout second quarter. He posted a block pinned against the backboard that led immediately to a transition alley-oop to Jalen Duren. Oklahoma City did not respect Thompson’s deep jumper, often guarding him from the block or the free-throw line, but he attacked, kicked for open threes and patiently worked to the right elbow to pull up for a jumper in the flow.
Cade’s defense, Robinson’s transition play and Huerter’s first minutes widen Detroit’s lead
Detroit extended the margin into the third quarter and forced an Oklahoma City timeout after Cade executed a chase-down block followed by a transition bucket from Duncan Robinson that pushed the lead to double digits. Newly acquired Kevin Huerter received minutes before the end of that quarter. With a 94-80 advantage heading into the final frame, things looked favorable for Detroit in the Battle of the #1 Seeds.
Thunder’s deep shooting and bench scoring nearly erase the deficit late
Oklahoma City relied on zone defense and long-range scoring to mount its comeback. The Thunder attacked the game from deep: Jaylin Williams attempted 10 threes and finished with a career-high 30 points, and the entire team shot 18-for-49 from three-point range. Those OKC threes landed in the fourth quarter and produced an 11-2 run that made it a five-point game with 5: 30 remaining. Guards Aaron Wiggins, Cason Wallace and Jarden McCain each contributed at least 20 points, and each time they closed the gap Cade carved up the Oklahoma City defense to keep the game just out of reach.
Note on a separate site message included with game materials
A separate item in the provided materials noted that a website urged readers to update their browser, saying the site was built to take advantage of the latest technology to make the experience faster and easier, and that an unsupported browser should be replaced by downloading an updated one.
