The Washington Wizards defeated the host Detroit Pistons 126-117 on Thursday night, controlling long stretches of the game despite dressing just 10 players following trade deadline moves.
Will Riley led the way with 20 points, as eight Washington players scored in double figures to halt Detroit’s recent momentum.
Balanced Washington Scoring Effort
Riley added six rebounds and five assists. Sharife Cooper chipped in 18 points and five assists, while Tristan Vukcevic and Justin Champagnie scored 14 points apiece. Bub Carrington and Alex Sarr contributed 12 each, with Anthony Gill and Bilal Coulibaly rounding out the balanced attack with 11 points apiece.
Pistons Fall Behind Early
Detroit struggled early, falling behind by as many as 20 points and trailing 51-31 midway through the second quarter.
Cade Cunningham led the Pistons with 30 points, eight rebounds and eight assists, while Duncan Robinson scored 21. Ausar Thompson added 13 points, and Ronald Holland posted a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds.
Detroit were hampered by injuries. All-Star center Jalen Duren missed the second half with right knee soreness, while Tobias Harris sat out with left hip soreness.
Wizards Respond To Detroit Rally
The Pistons responded with a 21-2 run sparked by Thompson, cutting the deficit to one. However, Riley drilled a late three-pointer to give Washington a 56-52 halftime lead.
Detroit briefly seized momentum early in the third quarter, but the Wizards answered with a 15-1 run, fueled by three-pointers from Sarr and Carrington, to regain control.
Late Push Seals Wizards Victory
Vukcevic extended the lead late in the third quarter as Washington entered the fourth ahead 95-84. Detroit closed within five after Robinson’s four-point play, but the Wizards repeatedly answered down the stretch.
Riley’s jumper with 2:43 remaining pushed the lead back to nine, sealing the victory for Washington.
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