Game Recap: Shorthanded Pistons Take Down Spurs

The Detroit Pistons have defeated the San Antonio Spurs 93-79 in a game the Pistons were missing a few key rotation players.

The outcome of the contest was looking bleak pre-game, as defensive specialist Stanley Johnson was a late scratch with a hip injury, putting him next to Reggie Jackson, Avery Bradley, and Jon Leuer on the shelf. However, the Pistons grabbed on to an early lead in the first quarter by limiting the Spurs to just 13 points, and never looked back. The stars of the game were journeyman Reggie Bullock and rookie Luke Kennard, who both set new career highs with 22 and 20 points, respectively. Andre Drummond took advantage of his athleticism over the aging Pau Gasol, adding 14 points, 21 rebounds, 6 assists, and 3 steals. In his second game as a starter, Ish Smith contributed 18 points and 4 assists. Grand Rapids Drive standout Dwight Buycks also got his first meaningful minutes of the season, and you can assume he will get steady playing time with Jackson on the shelf.

The Pistons saw a healthy Kawhi Leonard for the first and only time this season, as the superstar forward lead the team with 18 points. LaMarcus Aldridge managed a double-double but was shut down by Anthony Tolliver for most of the game. Bryn Forbes was the only other Spurs player to reach double digits, as the Spurs were held to just 37% shooting en route to Detroit holding an opponent under 80 points for the first time since 2015.

The Pistons move to 20-15, taking control of fourth place in the Eastern Conference, while the Spurs fall to 25-12, third in the west. The Pistons take on the Miami Heat Wednesday in a game where the team is hopeful that both Avery Bradley and Stanley Johnson are returning for.

Featured Image -  (Mike Mulholland | MLive.com)