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Pistons’ balance anchors blowout win over Hawks
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- Pistons’ balance anchors blowout win over Hawks
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Not even a five-day break could slow down the momentum of the Detroit Pistons .
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Playing their first regular-season game since December 6 , the Pistons finished the night with a 142-115 win over the Atlanta Hawks . It marks the team's third straight victory, with a 20-5 record, and they remain in first place in the Eastern Conference.
The Pistons maintained control of the game courtesy of a balanced team attack on both ends of the floor. Head coach J.B. Bickerstaff was able to play everyone on the roster because of the commanding lead. No player on Detroit's roster had to play more than 25 minutes. Bickerstaff spoke on the most impactful difference for the Pistons during the media postgame on the way to their home victory.
"I think our bench came in and gave us a great lift to start the game. When we put that unit in to close out the first quarter and to start the second, I thought they did a really good job of being sound defensively, getting stops, and then finding their opportunities in transition to come up with some easy ones," Bickerstaff stated. "I think we did a great job of being physical in executing our system. That led to our offense for us to score 142."
Detroit led by as many as 35 points in the Friday night matchup against Atlanta. Eight different Pistons managed to score in double figures. Their fast-paced identity showed up as the Pistons put up 30 fast-break points and 72 points in the paint. Atlanta kept the game close in the first quarter, but slipped into a double-digit deficit by the second quarter.
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Sharing the ball produced a huge advantage as well as the team had 34 assists. Their ball movement aided their efficient shooting night as the Pistons shot 58% from the field and 41% from 3-point range. Bickerstaff was impressed with the offensive effort by his team throughout the contest.
"We've got a ton of athletes and a ton of guys who are skilled in the open court. That's one of the things that we want to do every single night," Bickerstaff said. "I thought tonight we did a great job of rebounding the basketball, especially the long ones, which helped us get out in a break. But we got stops, and we got stops when we needed them."
Detroit has battled through injuries since the start of the 2025-26 season. This is one of the first times they had everybody healthy, and each player made an impact in the win. Every player on the Pistons was able to score and contribute to the team. The Pistons were in sync defensively for a good majority of the game. Atlanta turned the ball over 20 times and gave up 16 steals to Detroit.
Backup center Isaiah Stewart led the Pistons in scoring with 17 points off the bench. Guards Cade Cunningham and Duncan Robinson each added 15 points in their starter roles. Center Jalen Duren pitched in 14 points during his 24 minutes. Forwards Ausar Thompson and Ron Holland both put up 12 points. Guards Caris LeVert and Jaden Ivey scored 10 points for Detroit as well.
Related: NBA rumors: Pistons linked to Anthony Davis trade, but no talks with Mavericks yet
