The Detroit Pistons managed to win the third quarter on Friday, after an unstable first half, but failed to force the way to the end in a game that fell apart.
Detroit fell to the Sacramento Kings 110-107 in their second consecutive loss when they returned home to Little Caesars Arena after a week-long trip.
Detroit (9-24) had strong performances from Jerami Grant and Dennis Smith Jr. in the third quarter to help the team eliminate Sacramento’s five-point lead. The two added 21 points in the third to help the Pistons take control of the game until the end of the fourth. Detroit lost its balance, however, in the fourth moment, when the Kings ran an 11-3 race to restore pace.
The game reached the final minutes, when the two teams sent each other to the free throw line to lessen any chance of gaining momentum. The Pistons tried to turn to Grant to tie things up, but his three-pointer did not fall and the Kings hit another free-throw to seal the result.
Nine games and four games in his tenure with the Pistons, the newly acquired guard Smith showed how much more comfortable he was in his two weeks with the team. He slowly adapted to the attack and has now scored double-digit points in three consecutive games. Smith ended the night with 17 points and six assists, the record for the season, while continuing to defend his spot in Detroit.
Smith and veteran Mason Plumlee were the best facilitators for the Pistons. The two added 28 points and 12 assists.
Striker Jerami Grant returned to action after a night’s rest. He scored 30 points and grabbed seven rebounds to score the seventh time this season that he scored 30 or more points. He made seven of his 17 general shot attempts and hit 2 out of 7 out of three. He was most efficient on the strip, making all 15 of his trips to the free throw line, except one.
Rookie Saddiq Bey, who was questionable when going out for the night with a sprained left ankle, did 5 in 9 from beyond the arc to end the night as one of Detroit’s best snipers. Bey finished the game with 17 points and headed six rebounds. He made five or more trebles in four games.
The Pistons tried to take advantage of the Kings (13-20), who entered the night with a streak of nine consecutive defeats.
It was not to be, however.