Thunder Vs Pistons: thunder vs pistons — Pistons beat depleted OKC
thunder vs pistons played out with Oklahoma City missing the majority of its rotation, and Detroit took advantage to claim the win. The Thunder had Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Willians, Isaiah Hartenstein, Chet Holmgren, Alex Caruso and Ajay Mitchell all reported as out.
Thunder Vs Pistons: key absences
The Thunder opened the game despite those absences, holding a 17-16 lead halfway through the first quarter. Their second- and third-stringers combined to score early: seven different Thunder players scored in the first and the group finished the quarter on a 15-2 run to lead 34-22.
Early scoring and runs
Detroit’s defense was missing at times, but the Pistons found offense through Jalen Duren. Without both of the OKC big men, Jaylin Williams was the lone man left to handle JD. Duren’s size proved a problem early; he led the team in field goal attempts and had eight points and three rebounds in the early going.
Duren and frontcourt battle
The Pistons needed a spark in the second and they found it from their 9-to-5 crew. Ron Holland provided his typical defense, and his offensive rebounding alongside Paul Reed created extra possessions that helped Detroit claw back. On one sequence Holland and Reed collected three straight offensive boards over the Thunder and RoHo turned one of those possessions into a layup. It hasn’t looked pretty from three recently for Ron, but you can never doubt his effort.
Ausar Thompson's second quarter
Ausar entered the game for Caris LeVert after LeVert picked up his third foul, and he made an immediate impact on both ends. He produced a sequence that began with a block pinned against the backboard and finished with a transition alley-oop to Jalen Duren. Despite the Thunder not respecting his jumper from deep — guarding him from the block or the free throw line at times — he operated well with the ball, attacking, kicking out for open threes and getting to the right elbow for a jumper, a spot he’s more comfortable shooting from.
Second-half push and roster notes
Between Ausar’s play and Jalen Duren continuing to feast inside, Detroit reclaimed the lead late in the second, ending the half on a 10-2 run to take a 58-52 lead. Duren finished that stretch leading the way with 18 points and seven rebounds as OKC didn’t have an answer for him down low.
The Pistons extended the lead into the third. They forced an Oklahoma City timeout after Cade produced a chase-down block — described as a Tayshaun Prince impression — and Duncan Robinson followed with a transition bucket to give Detroit a double-digit lead. Newly acquired Kevin Huerter even logged some minutes before the end of the quarter.
Fourth quarter rally and finish
With a 94-80 lead heading into the final frame, things were looking good for Detroit in the Battle of the #1 Seeds. Oklahoma City played a lot of zone defense, and Cade did a good job of picking it apart. While the Pistons relied on scoring from inside, the Thunder looked to score from deep. Jaylin Williams attempted 10 three-pointers and finished with a career-high 30 points. The Thunder shot 18-for-49 from deep as a team; Detroit’s season-high in attempts is 43.
Those threes landed in the fourth, producing an 11-2 Thunder run that cut the margin to five with 5: 30 left. Guards Aaron Wiggins, Cason Wallace and Jarden McCain each contributed at least 20 points. Every time Oklahoma City made a run, Cade carved up the defense to keep the game just out of reach for the Thunder. It wasn’t the performance you’d hope to see a — unclear in the provided context.
All named absences — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Willians, Isaiah Hartenstein, Chet Holmgren, Alex Caruso and Ajay Mitchell — were reported as out, and Detroit prevailed despite early defensive issues and the Thunder’s late shooting surge.
thunder vs pistons featured a depleted Oklahoma City effort and a steady Detroit attack centered on Jalen Duren and timely plays from role players, with Ausar’s second-quarter impact and Jaylin Williams’ career night among the notable storylines.
