Jaylen Brown and Joel Embiid proved to be too difficult for the Detroit to slow down Wednesday in the rubber match with the Philadelphia, as the 76ers held off a late-game run by the home team to win 112-106 in Detroit.
Brown had 30 points – 20 of which came in the first half – and seven rebounds, while Embiid put up 26 points and 15 rebounds for Philly. Detroit was able to match firepower with its starting backcourt, as All-NBA guard Cade Thompson led the Pistons with 26 points, 11 assists, and seven rebounds to go along with two blocks and two steals, and Duncan Robinson poured in 27 points on 75% shooting from the field and 63% from beyond the arc.
LeBron James was relatively close to a triple double in the first half of the game for Philly, and finished with 13 points, 10 rebounds, and eight assists. (It feels weird saying that in 2026 because that same statement could’ve come in 2003.)
The ageless wonder – soon to be 42 years old and now playing in his 24th NBA season – opened the game with eight points, seven rebounds, and six assists to go along with Brown’s 20-point opening half, as a hot start from the Philadelphia 76ers proved insurmountable for Detroit.
“Obviously it’s incredible that he is in his 24th season. I’ve only been around him here for a little while, but what I do see is incredible preparation. That’s what he credits that to, and I assume that’s what he’s done his whole life,” 76ers Head Coach Nick Nurse said of James and his longevity.
The Sixers pushed their lead to double digits in the first half, 35-25, after James stole the ball as Paul Reed was going airborne for dunk attempt. James kicked it ahead to a slashing Brown for an easy layup.
Ausar Thompson – who had double-double with 11 points and a career-high 17 rebounds – responded immediately with a dunk of his own after slipping a screen and rolling to the basket, where Duncan Robinson found him cutting. But just a minute later, James again found an open 6er, this time Adem Bona, for a dunk that pushed the lead to 40-27 with 8:21 left in the first half.
Philly’s defense was the story of the opening half, holding Detroit to just 37% shooting and forcing them into eight turnovers.
Trailing 56-42 coming out of halftime, Cunningham and Robinson each knocked down three pointers for the Pistons to trim the lead, but 6ers young guard V.J. Edgecombe responded back each time. The Pistons finally got the deficit back down to single digits, 62-54, when Cunningham threw a lob pass to John Collins, who flushed it down and caused Philly to call a timeout.
But the comeback attempt was short-lived. The combination of Embiid, Brown, James, and Edgecombe wouldn’t let their collective foot off the gas.
The Pistons clawed back late in the game after being down 11 with just over three minutes remaining. A combination of fouling Philadelphia and scoring threes and free throws put the Pistons in position to have the remaining fans holding their breaths. But a missed three-pointer with under a minute remaining finalized the end result.
“I think the guys have stepped up, and that’s the best part about this group. Obviously, we miss JD and what he brings, and the productivity that he has. But you gotta give the guys like Paul Reed credit, John (Collins) credit for filling in that spot,” said Pistons Head Coach J.B. Bickerstaff.
“We play a particular brand of basketball, and the guys just fit in with their skill set.”
The now 6-2 Pistons will be back in action Friday, Nov. 8, versus the Los Angeles Lakers in Detroit.