Paul George scored 33 points, Kawhi Leonard added 24, and the Los Angeles Clippers rallied in the fourth quarter to defeat the Detroit Pistons 112-106 on Saturday. The Clippers started the game with a 12-2 surge before the Pistons knotted it and outplayed the home club for the following two quarters.
“It was an excellent start. “It was sluggish after the start,” Clippers coach Tyronn Lue stated. “The second half we went small and were able to score a lot better.”
George scored 15 points in the fourth quarter, including back-to-back 3-pointers to finish an 11-0 run and extend the Clippers’ lead to 107-94.
Give the Pistons credit. They’ve been performing well for the past three or four games. “This is one of those tough games where you play early in the day against a young team and you have to be prepared,” George remarked.
“I believed they were prepared to come out. We needed to make the necessary adjustments. I think playing little ball helped us create energy, and that was the game’s turning moment.”
Simone Fontecchio and Cade Cunningham combined to score eight consecutive points, bringing the Pistons within seven with less than two minutes remaining. It was part of the Pistons’ final 12-5 run, but it wasn’t enough as the club lost their tenth game in a row against the Clippers.
“I appreciate Cade’s game. He’s incredibly good, athletic, and strong. That’s where he’ll be a problem for many years to come,” George explained. “They have a solid nucleus with him. “They’ll be good when they figure out how to play together.”
Amir Coffey provided a spark off the bench for the Clippers in the fourth quarter, hitting two three-pointers. James Harden, who finished with 14 points, eight assists, and six rebounds, hit three straight free throws to give the Clippers their first lead since early in the second period.
Jaden Ivey had 23 points to lead the Pistons, who were denied their first three-game winning streak of the season. They began their current six-game journey with victories in Sacramento and Portland before leading the Clippers by 13 points early in the third.
Cunningham finished with 22 points and 10 assists, while Jalen Duren scored 10 points and 18 rebounds. Fontecchio contributed 20 points and nine rebounds off the bench for Detroit, three days after being traded from Utah.
Detroit outscored the Clippers 28-18 to take a 58-49 advantage into halftime. The Pistons concluded with a 57-35 rebounding advantage.
Ivey’s shot early in the third quarter gave Detroit their highest lead of the game, 13 points.
Following a 28-game skid earlier in the season, the Pistons have now dropped nine consecutive games to the Clippers and Lakers at Crypto.com Arena. Detroit is 4-21 on the road this season.
Duren elbowed Clippers’ Norman Powell in the head while reaching for a rebound with five minutes left. Powell staggered toward the Pistons bench and collapsed, face down on the court. Blood streamed from his brow, staining his left forearm. He got stitches between his eyes.
When asked if he was okay, Powell said, “Yeah, yeah.” “I am tough.”
