Thunder Vs Pistons: thunder vs pistons recap as Detroit beats depleted OKC
In Detroit on Wednesday night, thunder vs pistons produced a 124-116 victory for East-leading Detroit as the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder played shorthanded. By the final buzzer the Thunder were missing their top six scorers and a string of in-game injuries had further thinned the roster.
Thunder Vs Pistons: injuries and absences
Oklahoma City started the game without its four leading scorers: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (abdomen), Jalen Williams (hamstring), Ajay Mitchell (abdomen) and Chet Holmgren (back). Sixth-leading scorer Isaiah Hartenstein was out with a calf issue. One report from another summary of the game also listed Alex Caruso as out and included the name Jalen Willians as among those reported out; unclear in the provided context whether that spelling refers to the same player listed elsewhere.
The only player from the top six who played was Isaiah Joe, who averages 11. 0 points, and the only regular starter available was Lu Dort. Late in the game additional injuries forced Joe from play with a hip problem and two-way center Branden Carlson was unable to play because of a back issue.
First quarter and early lead
Despite the absences, Oklahoma City held a 17-16 lead halfway through the first quarter. Seven different Thunder players scored in the opening period, and the group closed the quarter on a 15-2 run to take a 34-22 lead.
Second-quarter swing and halftime
Detroit answered in the second, outscoring the Thunder 36-18 — the worst margin Oklahoma City has had in any quarter this season — and finished the half on a 10-2 run to lead 58-52. Jalen Duren provided much of Detroit’s inside scoring: early in the game he led the team in field-goal attempts and had eight points and three rebounds, and he finished the half with 18 points and seven rebounds as Oklahoma City struggled to contain him down low.
Detroit’s second-quarter surge featured offensive rebounding from Ron Holland and Paul Reed, including a sequence where the pair grabbed three straight offensive boards and Holland converted a layup. Ausar Thompson, who entered for Caris LeVert after LeVert picked up his third foul, had a strong second quarter — a block pinned against the backboard led directly to a transition alley-oop to Duren — and made an impact both scoring and creating for teammates.
Third quarter and late run
Detroit extended the lead in the third. A chase-down block by Cade followed by a transition bucket from Duncan Robinson forced an Oklahoma City timeout and pushed Detroit to a double-digit margin. Newly acquired Kevin Huerter received some minutes before the end of the quarter. Detroit led 92-75 late in the third and held a 94-80 edge entering the final frame.
The Thunder shifted into more zone looks while trying to claw back; Jaylin Williams took a heavy workload from deep, attempting 10 three-pointers and ultimately finishing with a career-high 30 points.
Fourth quarter comeback attempt
Oklahoma City’s 3-point shooting helped mount a late charge. An 11-2 Thunder run cut the gap to five with 5: 30 left, and the team got as close as three points in the fourth, but they could not keep Detroit off the glass and could not complete the comeback. Guards Aaron Wiggins, Cason Wallace and Jarden McCain were credited with contributing at least 20 points each in a later account of the lineup’s efforts.
Quotes and final takeaway
Thunder coach Mark Daigneault reflected on the game: "We obviously had the wind in our faces a little out there tonight, " and added, "I thought it was a really good effort by the guys who played to gut that one out. " After the third-quarter stretch he said, "The game got away from us a little bit in the third, and it looked like it was going to be a runaway, " then praised the team's response: "But our guys did a great job of getting back into it. " On Jaylin Williams’ night he said, "He showed great toughness and, obviously, great offense, " and "We really flowed through him, and against a team that really pressures like Detroit, he was a great help for us. "
The final score was 124-116 in favor of Detroit, a result shaped by the Thunder’s deep list of absences, midgame injuries, and Detroit’s second-quarter turnaround and interior scoring. One site noted it builds its platform to take advantage of the latest technology to ensure the best experience for readers and warned that some browsers are not supported and should be updated for the best experience; unclear in the provided context which browsers were recommended.
Wednesday night’s matchup read like a preview affected by availability: East-leading Detroit advanced past the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder in a game defined by injuries, bench contributions and a career night from Jaylin Williams.
