news

Pistons defeated Heat 123-121, thanks to Chris Webber-technically

Vaseline November 13, 2024

The Detroit Pistons led by nine points with just under two minutes left. Tyler Herro struck next.

The Miami Heat bucket-getter knocked down three big three-pointers to tie the game at 111 with 32 seconds left, with the third coming on a Pistons turnover. It sent the game to overtime after the Pistons’ ensuing possession ended with another Cade Cunningham turnover and a loose ball foul. Herro’s game-winning attempt from the midrange at the buzzer missed.

Malik Beasley, Cade Cunningham Jalen Duren and Heat coach Erik Spoelstra ultimately saved the night for the Pistons – Beasley with a 3 that tied the game at 119 with 40.9 seconds left, Cunningham and Duren with an inbound alley-oop to tying the game at 121 after another clutch bucket from Herro, and finally Spoelstra with a timeout that the Heat didn’t have.

Beasley knocked down the technical free throw and split the next trip to the line, sealing a wild 123-121 victory for the Pistons (5-7). Cunningham and Beasley led them with 21 points each, and Cunningham added nine assists, seven rebounds and seven turnovers.

Cunningham had eight assists and two turnovers before a turnover-prone stretch ended the game. In addition to a turnover with 21.2 seconds left that nearly gave the game away in the fourth, he made three in overtime — the third allowing the Heat to take the lead, 118-116. Cunningham nearly saved possession with a chase block on Michigan alumnus Duncan Robinson, but Robinson recovered the rebound and put it in.

Herro led the Heat, who were without Jimmy Butler, with 40 points.

Duren, returning to the starting lineup after missing two games with a sprained left ankle, missed a pair of free throws that would have tied the game before Beasley tied the game. Cunningham nearly committed a fourth turnover and lost the ball on a drive before forcing a jump ball with Adebayo. The center appeared to grab Cunningham’s arm on the jump, but no call was made.

That continued with a potential game-winning mid-range jumper from Herro that gave the Heat the lead, before a series of clutch plays at the end. Tim Hardaway Jr. left the game in the third quarter after being hit in the head.

The Pistons started the night well on both ends, opening the game on a 10-0 run and leading by 18 early in the second quarter. A 23-6 Heat run followed, helped by them going 6-for-13 from 3 in the second after shooting just 2-for-8 in the first. They knocked down five 3s during the run and briefly took a one-point lead before the Pistons tied the game at 47.

On the other hand, the Pistons were just 4-for-19 from 3 in the first half. But Hardaway Jr. and Stewart helped the Pistons regain the lead at halftime, 57-51, with a pair of layups from the latter and a three-pointer – plus a goaltender from Bam Adebayo – from the former. Stewart delivered two high-energy plays, tapping in a missed shot after tipping the ball to himself twice before finishing off a layup in transition after a feed from Cunningham shortly before the halftime buzzer.

They finally found a rhythm from 3 in the second half and knocked down 6 of 12 attempts in the third. A 3 from Simone Fontecchio with 33 seconds left sparked a 10-0 run that pushed the lead to 14, 96-82, early in the fourth. It wasn’t enough to put the game away, with Herro making three clutch 3s to send the game into overtime.

Pistons earn victory in first NBA Cup game

It was the first of four group play matches for the 2024 Emirates NBA Cup, previously known as the In-Season Tournament. The Pistons officially debuted their special court for the tournament, featuring blue circles on the main court outlined with a black border and one of the team’s brand slogans, “In It For My City,” written at the bottom of the sideline.

Before the game, J.B. Bickerstaff said the elevated atmosphere of the tournament would provide good learning lessons for a young basketball team that hasn’t played much high-stakes basketball.

“This is a conversation we had between our coaches, this is great for our guys,” he said. This seasonal tournament gives our guys, especially our young guys, who haven’t had to play many meaningful basketball games, an opportunity to play meaningful basketball games. So understanding possessions is more important, turnovers are more important, rebounds, execution, all these things are more important in meaningful basketball games.

“This is a great opportunity for our guys to experience that against a really good basketball team that has been in a lot of those games.”

The Pistons learned a lesson the hard way with their late turnover, but ultimately passed the test.

Status of Hardaway unknown after head injury

Hardaway, trying to provoke a charge on Adebayo, was elbowed in the mouth, fell and appeared to be in pain as he gathered himself back together. He then tried to attack Herro during the same defensive possession, fell and was elbowed in the head by Duren as the big man came down from a jump. Hardaway’s head also hit the ground on the way down.

He remained on the ground for several minutes, bleeding as he was surrounded by teammates and Pistons medical staff. With help he tried to get up but sat down again before a wheelchair was brought out for him. He left the game with 8:46 left in the third period.

The veteran is one of the Pistons’ best players to date. He started all twelve games and averaged 12.6 points on 47% shooting from 3. He is also the NBA’s leader in forwards with six.

Contact Omari Sankofa II at [email protected]. Follow him @omarisankofa.

(MUST WATCH: Make ‘The Pistons Pulse’ your favorite Detroit Pistons podcast, available wherever you listen to podcasts (Apple, Spotify) or watch live/on demand on YouTube. )