Field Level Media
Apr 7, 2023
Jaden Ivey had 29 points and nine assists and the visiting Detroit Pistons snapped an 11-game losing streak by defeating the Indiana Pacers 122-115 on Friday night.
Both lottery-bound teams were playing their second-to-last game of the season.
Killian Hayes supplied 28 points, six assists and four steals, while Cory Joseph contributed 18 points and five assists. Marvin Bagley III added 14 points and Jalen Duren, Jared Rhoden and R.J. Hampton chipped in 10 apiece.
Buddy Hield led the Pacers with 22 points and Bennedict Mathurin tossed in 16.
Indiana (34-47) has lost seven of its last eight contests. Detroit (17-64) won for just the second time in 24 games, with both victories coming against the Pacers.
The backcourt of Ivey and Hayes combined for 36 points and 10 assists as the Pistons led 73-57 at halftime.
Detroit trailed by 11 during the first five minutes, then roared back to take a 35-27 lead by the end of the quarter. The Pistons finished it with an 11-0 run that included four points apiece from Duren and Hampton.
Ivey scored the first seven points of the second quarter to increase the run to 18-0. Hayes knocked down a 3-pointer with 4:25 remaining in the half for a 60-44 lead.
Ivey dunked after an Indiana turnover with three minutes left in the half to stretch the advantage to 18 points. Ivey pushed the lead to 21 with a 3-pointer before the Pacers closed the half with a 5-0 spurt.
The Pacers scored the first six points of the second half to cut their deficit to 10 points. They got as close as six points later in the quarter before Joseph made a 3-pointer in the final minute, giving Detroit a 96-87 lead entering the fourth.
Hield made a 3-pointer with 10 minutes left to cut the Pistons' advantage to 99-95.
Bagley hit a 3-pointer two minutes later to push Detroit's lead to 107-97. Hield's dunk with five minutes left made it 112-106.
Joseph knocked down a 3-pointer with 2:30 left to restore a 10-point advantage.
--Field Level Media