Michael Porter Jr. had 30 points and 13 rebounds and the visiting Brooklyn Nets rallied from a 23-point deficit to surprise the Detroit Pistons, 107-105, on Saturday.
Ziaire Williams had 23 points, Noah Clowney scored 16 and Day’Ron Sharpe added 13. The Nets finished the game on an 18-6 run.
Tobias Harris had 18 points to lead Detroit. Jalen Duren supplied 17 points and 14 rebounds, while Duncan Robinson added 15 points.
The Pistons were missing two starters, including All-Star guard Cade Cunningham. He sat out with a left quadriceps contusion. Another starter, Ausar Thompson, missed the game due to a right ankle sprain.
The Nets’ top rookie, Egor Demin, was sidelined due to left plantar fascia injury management.
Detroit led 62-46 at halftime.
The Pistons opened the second half with a 15-8 run to take a 23-point lead. Robinson knocked down a pair of 3-pointers in the first three minutes of the half and made a pair of free throws with 8:18 remaining in the third for a 77-54 advantage.
The Nets then chipped away and pulled within 11 points, 84-73, by the end of the quarter. Williams scored five points during that span while Porter had four points.
Detroit scored the first six points of the fourth quarter. The Nets then chipped away again and pulled within eight points on a Sharpe three.
Duren scored inside to give the Pistons a 99-89 lead. Porter made two free throws with 4:12 remaining to pull Brooklyn within six points.
Sharpe made a pair of layups to cut Detroit’s lead to 103-99. When Williams drained a 3-pointer, Detroit’s advantage was down to one with 2:16 left.
After a Pistons turnover, Williams made another 3-pointer to give his club a 105-103 lead.
Following a Robinson miss, Porter knocked down two free throws. Robinson answered with two free throws.
The teams then traded empty possessions. Robinson missed a 3-pointer and Duren failed on a putback in the closing seconds.
The Pistons had won five straight against Brooklyn, including a 130-77 thumping on Feb. 1. This is their first three-game losing streak of the season.
–Field Level Media
