DETROIT – No Ja Morant. No Steven Adams. No Brandon Clarke. No Marcus Smart. No problem for the visiting Memphis Grizzlies.
Desmond Bane scored a career-high 49 points, and his monster third quarter – where he scored 19 points on 8-of-10 shooting and tallied three assists – helped propel the Grizz to a 116-102 win over the Detroit Pistons Wednesday, Dec. 6. With the loss, the Pistons’ historic losing streak extended to a franchise-long 18 games within a single season. Detroit only has one other losing streak of this magnitude, a 21-game slide, which happened over the course of two seasons at the end of the 1979-80 season and the beginning of the 1980-81 season.
The Pistons remained competitive throughout the contest, but again repeated their trend of giving up third quarter leads to opponents. At halftime, the Pistons extended a 56-52 lead to a 69-61 advantage with just under 7:30 left in the third quarter following back-to-back baskets by starting forward Bojan Bogdanovic. But Bane took over, scoring eight points over the next minute to cut the Pistons lead to one point.
Pistons Coach Monty Williams pointed to that stretch as a pivotal moment in the game for the Pistons, who fell to just 2-19 on the season and now haven’t won a game since before Halloween.
“The personal pride to not let a guy get to the basket … Bane got to the basket three straight times with his right hand. That’s not just making shots or a scheme, that’s just the ability to get back in transition and guard. But the shot-making part and the turnovers hurt us tonight. We gave up 17 possessions for 21 points,” he said.
“I just told the guys ‘When is it going to be enough? Where is the anger and the urgency on the floor to just draw the line in the sand and say there’s enough?’ We did some good things tonight to give ourselves a chance, but I thought that segment where Bane got to the basket three straight times, that was a really deflating moment for us.”
To add to the Pistons’ woes, starting center Jalen Duren suffered what appeared to be a badly sprained left ankle when the team trailed 107-96 with just 2:13 left in the fourth. Duren – who finished the game with a 17-point, 11-rebound double-double – went up for a contest rebound and landed awkwardly, twisting his left ankle. He laid on the floor for two possessions before being helped off by teammate Isaiah Stewart and a member of the team’s training staff.
After the game, Stewart said that he felt Duren was just back to hitting his stride, and for a team who’s been in such a slump, the presence of the team’s dominant young big man will be sorely missed.
“I felt like he was just getting his groove back and playing great. Dominating. So for him to have that injury is a setback,” said Stewart. “I felt for him because I know he wants to be out there and I know he wants to play. On top of that, I know he helps our team, so he’s a huge piece. To be missing him for some games, it’s definitely going to be tough.”
In addition to Bane’s dominance, Grizz center Jaren Jackson, Jr. was also a lot to contain for the Pistons, as the defensive anchor posted 24 points, four rebounds, and three blocked shots. Jaylen Nowell was the only other Grizz to post double figures in scoring, finishing the game with 12 points and four dimes on the night.
The Pistons had a couple bright spots tonight, albeit difficult to do when the team is in the midst of a record-setting streak of this caliber.
Cade Cunningham posted his third double-double of the season with 16 points and 10 assists, and Bogdanovic finished the game with 22 points, seven assists, and four rebounds. Jaden Ivey sat on the bench for the entire first quarter, but ignited a spark in the second quarter and ended the contest with nine points, three rebounds, three steals, two blocks, and two assists with just one turnover in 23 minutes.
Stewart said he feels like this is a tough time for players who are likely finding themselves in this kind of team slump for the first times in their basketball careers.
“I think it’s tough for all of us. We come from high school and college, and we’re winning games at all those levels. Now we get to this level and we’re facing this. For all of us I’m sure it’s the first time we’re all facing anything like this. It’s tough. Nobody has a blueprint since this is our first time going through it. And we’re going through it while trying to figure out how to get ourselves out of this,” he said.
“(Bogdanovic) was just telling us (in the locker room) about the mistakes we can’t make. Bogey is coming from playing playoff basketball and competing for a championship, you know? He was just telling us the mistakes that we can’t make that we’re making. And him as a vet, he’s seen what winning looks like, so he was voicing his frustrations on that and letting us know that we’re not good enough to make those mistakes. We’re not good enough to where we can make those mistakes and we’re going to be alright. But nobody’s going to come and save us. We’re all we got.”
The Pistons take on a good Orlando Magic team on Monday, Dec. 11, in Orlando. The Magic, who are currently third in the Eastern Conference, have won nine of its last 11 games and are currently 14-7 on the season.
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