Pistons use 43-point third quarter to take down Nets

[January 27, 2023] Saddiq Bey scored 15 of his 25 points in the third quarter as the Detroit Pistons took control in a 130-122 victory over the Brooklyn Nets on Thursday night in New York.

The Pistons snapped a four-game losing streak and bounced back from an unsightly 150-130 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday. On Thursday, they scored 43 points in the third, marking their highest-scoring quarter this season.

Bey made 6 of 7 shots in the third as the Pistons shot 65.4 percent. Bey shot 10 of 19 overall as Detroit shot 50.5 percent and scored 60 points in the paint.

Alec Burks added 10 of his 20 points in the fourth. Rookie Jalen Duren scored 17 and Killian Hayes and rookie Jaden Ivey chipped in 16 apiece as Detroit withstood a quiet showing from Bojan Bogdanovic, who was held to 11 points on 4-of-15 shooting.

Kyrie Irving tried to will the Nets back down the stretch with 12 of his 40 points in the fourth, but Brooklyn fell to 2-6 since Kevin Durant suffered a sprained medial collateral ligament in his right knee on Jan. 8.

Nic Claxton added a career-high 27 points and 13 rebounds while Edmond Sumner contributed a career-best 24 points as Brooklyn shot 45.7 percent.

The Nets also lost Ben Simmons to a sore left knee in the third. Simmons went scoreless on 0-for-3 shooting in 20 minutes.

Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving warms up before a game against the Philadelphia 76ers at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

The Nets held a 59-58 lead at halftime after the first half featured 17 lead changes. The Pistons never trailed after Bogdanovic converted a three-point play on the opening possession of the third.

Detroit took multiple 10-point leads before Irving and Mills sank 3-pointers on consecutive possessions to get within 91-86 with 2:49 left in the third. The Pistons finished the quarter on a 10-4 run and held a 101-90 lead. They took a 108-95 edge on a 3 and a layup by Burks less than two minutes into the fourth.

Hayes hit a 20-footer to make it 115-101 with 7:34 left and then converted a three-point play with 3:02 left for a 122-112 lead to counter Brooklyn's 11-4 run. The Nets were within five points twice in the final minute on baskets by Sumner, but Detroit hit three free throws in the final 27 seconds.

--Field Level Media

[© 2023 Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved.] This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.  Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content.