Game Recap: Pistons Continue to Struggle, Drop Fourth Straight in Loss to Pelicans
The Detroit Pistons fell to the New Orleans Pelicans 116-108 at Little Caesar's Arena, pushing the Pistons' losing streak to four in a row. The Pelicans were without superstar Anthony Davis for the majority of the game after he collided with Blake Griffin early in the contest, but the Pelicans didn't miss a stride in their victory. Andre Drummond's near 20-20 game shows that the story isn't in the stat sheet, as the All-Star missed out on key buckets inside late in the game and overall just didn't look too sharp. Blake Griffin, meanwhile, put the team on his back, per usual, with 35 points and five rebounds, also hitting four 3-pointers. The birthday boy, Langston Galloway, was a basket shy of his career-high in points, as he finished with 24 points. Galloway played most of the game as Reggie Jackson struggled for the majority of the contest, not scoring until late in the fourth quarter. Jose Calderon and Jon Leuer also made a positive offensive impact, as Calderon dished out nine assists and Leuer finished with eight points, including this surprising slam:
Jon Leuer flying in for the SLAM! #DetroitBasketball pic.twitter.com/Z0TjADrEvg
— Palace Pistons (@PalaceOfPistons) December 9, 2018
The Pelicans were led by Jrue Holiday and Julius Randle, the second and third options to Anthony Davis, respectively. Jrue Holiday led all scorers with 37 points, with six 3-pointers, as the veteran tore apart Detroit's weak defensive throughout. Randle, who New Orleans signed late this past summer, dominated Detroit's interior with 28 points of his own, along with six rebounds and five assists. Tim Frazier and Nikola Mirotic joined the pair as the Pelicans' only players to score double-digit points on the night. Another game in the books that Detroit should've won, especially at home. Hopefully, the expected returns of Reggie Bullock and Stanley Johnson in Detroit's next game against the Philadelphia 76ers will bring a different story. It may not be time to hit the panic button in Detroit, but this team needs shooting - badly. Featured Image: (Paul Sancya/AP)