The Detroit Pistons, down several key rotation players, extended their losing streak to seven games in a blowout by the Cleveland Cavaliers that was riddled with Pistons mistakes. Detroit turned the ball over 23 times, tying a season-high, and most of the turnovers were sloppy errors in the 114-90 defeat.
Among the worst: R.J. Hampton received an inbounds pass, and immediately stepped out of bounds to inbounds the ball again. And Cory Joseph, while falling out of bounds, passed the ball to James Wiseman moments before he crossed the halfcourt line for a backcourt violation. In Joseph’s defense, Wiseman was the only teammate in position to receive the ball.
Cleveland Cavaliers guard Darius Garland (10) defends Detroit Pistons guard Killian Hayes (7) in the first quarter at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland on Saturday, March 4, 2023.
WISE WORDS:Early returns show there’s a lot to like about new Pistons center James Wiseman
FEELING A DRAFT (LOTTERY)?Pistons fans can relax. They’ve all but locked up best NBA lottery odds of No. 1
Bojan Bogdanovic (bilateral Achilles tendinopathy), Alec Burks (left foot soreness), Isaiah Stewart (right hip soreness) and Jalen Duren (bilateral ankle soreness) all missed the game, and Killian Hayes exited the game with a hand injury.
It’s unclear when Hayes’ injury occurred, but he came off of the bench in the second half and only played 94 seconds before his injury forced him to sub out again.
Marvin Bagley III led Detroit with 20 points and 13 rebounds, and Hamidou Diallo added 14 points and seven rebounds. Darius Garland led all scorers with 21 points and seven assists, and Donovan Mitchell added 20.
Cleveland Cavaliers forward Evan Mobley (4) shoots against the Detroit Pistons in the first quarter at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland on Saturday, March 4, 2023.
Going big
To match up against Cleveland’s frontcourt of Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen, Dwane Casey inserted Bagley into the starting five alongside Wiseman. It was a gamble, as the Pistons had no depth behind them with Duren and Stewart both out.
It produced good results at first, as Detroit outrebounded Cleveland 26-20 in the first half. Wiseman grabbed eight, and Mobley tallied five. It helped the Pistons go on a 23-13 run that briefly gave them the lead, 29-27, early in the second quarter after trailing by eight points in the first.
Story continues
But the Cavaliers regained control with a 27-16 run to close the first half with an eight-point lead. They then outscored Detroit, 42-22, in the third quarter, shooting 16-for-22 from the floor and scoring 12 points off eight Pistons turnovers.
Ball control was an issue for the Pistons, as they turned the ball over 21 times through the first three quarters — off which Cleveland scored 28 points. With 12 minutes remaining, Detroit had already nearly matched its season-high of 23 turnovers, set against the Philadelphia 76ers in January. Not coincidentally, they also trailed by 29 points after three quarters.
Detroit Pistons guard Hamidou Diallo (6) drives to the basket in the second quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland on Saturday, March 4, 2023.
Diallo continues scoring surge
Saturday marked Diallo’s eighth straight game reaching double figures in scoring — extending the longest such stretch of his career. In his previous seven games, he averaged 15.3 points on 59.2% shooting.
Detroit’s most consistent player has continually improved this season. His energy, athleticism and off-ball cutting have allowed him to carve out a unique role on this team, and he’s proving his value as he approaches unrestricted free agency.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Pistons pounded by Cleveland Cavaliers, 114-90
