SALT LAKE CITY – The Detroit Pistons shot 53 percent from the field, 46 percent from 3 and scored 148 points… and they still lost.
A disappointing, strange and baffling season for Detroit just got more disappointing, weird and baffling Wednesday night at 4,265 feet as the Pistons and Utah Jazz played an NBA All-Star Game – with just one All-Star. Star actually played — that ended in overtime as Utah won 154-148.
It's only fitting that Detroit, which has the longest single-season losing streak in NBA history, is also part of the wildest game of the season so far. There were 11 leadership changes. Both teams combined to shoot 52.4 percent from the field and 48 percent from three. Six players scored 25 or more points. Defense appeared to be optional and both sides forewent it.
“Games like this are tough,” said Cade Cunningham, who had 31 points, 12 assists, five rebounds and six turnovers in 39 minutes of play. “It would have been huge for us to get that out. To lose, it's gone with the wind. No matter how much we lost, it is a defeat on the balance sheet.”
The Pistons (3-31) appeared to be on the verge of doubling their win total from the first two months of the season over the past five days, as Detroit's Alec Burks and Bojan Bogdanović tried to figure out who might have the better revenge game against their former team , as both scored 23 of their total 63 points in the fourth quarter.
Burks' 3 with 6 minutes, 43 seconds left gave the Pistons a six-point lead. With 3:38 left, Bogdanović hit a fadeaway jump shot that gave Detroit a four-point lead. Both felt like big moments in a game that had several of them up to that point. Neither even scratched the surface.
With 32 seconds left in regulation, Utah's Jordan Clarkson, who along with Bogdanović scored a game-high 36 points, easily made another three-pointer as if it were seven minutes into the first quarter. Bottoms. On the next possession, after Detroit nearly gave the ball back to the Jazz twice, Bogdanović went over the outstretched arm of Walker Kessler for a 25-footer. Bottoms. Utah followed with a 3-point attempt by Lauri Markkanen, this time from 27 feet, with five seconds left and no timeout for the Pistons. Bottoms. The Pistons then got the ball to Burks. He made it past half the court, took two dribbles and hit a running 3 as time expired. Bottoms.
Alec Burks and his teammates celebrate his 3-pointer that took the game to OT. (Rob Gray/USA Today)
Both teams wanted to win and lose at the same time. The entire fourth quarter was an exercise in world-class shooting and recreational defense. It created one of the most entertaining quarters in NBA basketball this season.
“I’m not even tired,” said 34-year-old Bogdanović, who played 42 minutes, after the game. “I felt good. I didn't even want to come out. Momentum (carries you). The arena is full. It's nice to play here.”
That's where the conversation ended, however, as the Jazz beat Detroit 16-10 in overtime and were never really in danger of losing in overtime.
As outrageous and entertaining as the duel was, the defeat highlighted the ongoing major problems with the Pistons. First they gave up 154 points. Enough said. Detroit has consistently been one of the worst defenses in the league outside of the first two weeks of the season. Second, the Pistons had 16 turnovers for 30 Utah points in regulation. Turnovers in live games have plagued Detroit all season. These two statistics in particular have and continue to play a large role in Detroit's terrible defensive numbers. Third, Detroit outscored the Jazz by five points in regulation, but Utah scored 25 second-chance points.
Aside from the abysmal defense – which in turn looks even worse because the Pistons routinely pass the ball to their opponents like it's the goal of the game – Detroit often beats itself. That's true. As bad as the Pistons' record is, about half of those losses are due to high turnovers that often go unforced. The opposition's second chance points have taken their breath away a few times this season.
But it's easy to convince yourself that Detroit is right there, knocking on the door, of being just plain bad, as opposed to historically bad. However, the Pistons are the “B-Rad G” of the NBA, shooting themselves in the foot but not realizing it until later.
Yes, Detroit could be on the verge of getting better. It is possible. Maybe it will eventually overcome these self-inflicted wounds. But at what point can one ask whether these things are just part of the fabric?
At 3-31 it feels like it's more the latter than the former.
(Top photo of Jordan Clarkson: Rob Gray / USA Today)