The Pistons Have a Top-Ten Defense, Tim Hardaway Jr., and Inside the NBA | The Weekly Drive
No, that is not a misprint: the Detroit Pistons have one of the best defenses in the NBA so far this season.

Hey Pistons fans, it’s Monday and that means it’s time for the Weekly Drive. If you are new here, welcome. For the those returning, the Detroit basketball team is 7-8 with a top-ten defense in the league.
Let’s get into it.
Weekly Game Recaps
Game 12: Miami 121, Detroit 123 (OT)
Rapid Detail: The Pistons won their first NBA Cup game ever, a thriller against the visiting Miami Heat. A big help in that victory? Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra called a timeout they didn’t have, resulting in a technical foul and a Pistons escape act.
Game 13: Detroit 120, Milwaukee 127 (OT)
Rapid Detail: You win some, you lose some. And when Giannis Antetokounmpo has 59 points, you are probably going to lose some. The Pistons had an opportunity to win, but free throws once again were the achilles heel. Rookie Ron Holland missed two free throws with a few seconds on the clock that would be sealed the game - if only he had hit one of them.
Game 14: Detroit 99, Toronto 95
Rapid Detail: Detroit remained undefeated in NBA Cup play, but the most important tidbit from this game is that the Pistons beat a team they should beat. The Raptors are a bad team that was without two of their best players in Scottie Barnes and Immanuel Quickley. The Pistons won, and not just won, but overcame a bad offensive night. Resiliency is key.
Game 15: Detroit 124, Washington 104
Rapid Detail: Cade Cunningham had another triple-double, his fourth this season, Jaden Ivey added 28 points, and Malik Beasley drilled six three-pointers en route to a blowout win. Remember how the Pistons beat a team they should beat? They did it again against a dreadful Washington team. This was also the first game all season where they had less than 11 turnovers. That is massive progress all around.
Where will Ausar Thompson Fit in the Rotation?
With Ausar Thompson cleared for return, his place in the rotation is the next question. Aaron Johnson touched on the subject as well as how important Thompson is to the team - and how much of an impact he can have on the rest of the team.
Spoiler: the Pistons defense should get even better.
News and Notes
Brent Haskins, a longtime fixture in the NBA scene as an advanced scout, passed away at the age of 51. Haskins spent four seasons with the Pistons from 2018-2022 and 2024. The organization offered there condolences in an official statement.
After suffering a scary injury against Miami, Tim Hardaway Jr. underwent a CAT scan and the results were negative according to NBA Insider Chris Haynes. Hardaway was hit by an errant knee that resulted in slamming his head against the hardwood, requiring a wheelchair to come out and take him off the court.
TNT’s ultra-popular Inside the NBA, hosted by Ernie Johnson, Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith, and Shaquille O’Neal, will be headed to ABC/ESPN next season as part of a settlement with Warner Brothers Discovery.
Did you know the Pistons have a top-ten defense right now? We talked about that and more as part of Buy or Sell on the Palace of Pistons Podcast - which you can check out here.
Thanks for reading, and see you next week.
Mike