Banged-up Pistons look real good again in wire-to-wire win vs 76ers
· Yahoo Sports
PHILADELPHIA – Without Jalen Duren and Ausar Thompson, the Detroit Pistons marched to a convincing road win over an Eastern Conference contender.
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The Pistons defeated the Philadelphia 76ers, 106-93 on Sunday, Oct. 25, at Xfinity Mobile Arena to improve to 3-0 and the only Eastern Conference team that is unbeaten.
The Pistons stormed out of the game with a 20-4 run and led the entire night, despite the Sixers (3-1) cutting it to as little as four points in the fourth quarter.
The Pistons will close out their road trip against the New York Knicks (0-3) on Tuesday (8 p.m., NBC/Peacock).
Cade Cunningham led the Pistons with 26 points, eight rebounds and eight assists. Duncan Robinson (21 points, 5-for-9 from 3), Daniss Jenkins (18 points, eight rebounds, six assists) and John Collins (16 points, 11 rebounds) also reached double figures.
Jenkins started for Thompson, who suffered a right ankle sprain Friday against the Miami Heat, and Paul Reed (eight points, eight rebounds, three blocks) started for Duren, who will miss at least two weeks with a right hamstring strain.
Tyrese Maxey led the Sixers with 29 points, and LeBron James added 18 points. They were without Joel Embiid and VJ Edgecombe after playing Saturday.
Pistons injuries force rotation adjustments
Reed and Collins were the Pistons’ main options at center. It was a given Reed would start, but Collins received the bulk of the backup minutes over Tolu Smith, who didn’t check in until the third quarter and played just three minutes. A small 76ers starting lineup, often featuring James at center, allowed the Pistons to stick with smaller lineups.
Isaiah Joe got hurt with 3:47 remaining in the opening quarter after a hard fall on his tailbone following a dunk. Joe took a minute to stand up and re-entered the game to shoot the and-1 free throw, but was still in pain and left the game for good at the 2:10 mark.
With Joe out, rookie guard Ebuka Okorie made his NBA debut and logged two minutes to close out the first. He didn’t attempt a field goal but drew a foul and knocked down both free throws.
In his first start of the season, Jenkins delivered a well-rounded statline. It remains to be seen how long Thompson will be out, and if the Pistons stick with Jenkins in his stead.
Duncan Robinson stays hot
Whenever the Pistons needed a bucket, Robinson delivered. The veteran sharpshooter scored or assisted the Pistons’ first 12 points of the second quarter, helping stave off the Sixers as they cut the lead to 10 but were unable to get it to single digits.
In the second half, Robinson knocked down timely 3-pointer after timely 3-pointer. His biggest shots of the night were in the final period. Maxey extended an 8-1 Sixers run with a midrange jumper early in the period to cut the Pistons’ lead to four, but Robinson's answer extended it to 82-75.
Robinson’s next 3-pointer – a high-arching shot over the defense – pushed their lead to 92-82 midway through the fourth. Through four games, Robinson has made 15 of his 28 attempts from 3 (53.6%).
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Next up: Knicks
Matchup: Pistons (3-0) at New York (0-3).
Tipoff: 8 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 27; Madison Square Garden, New York.
TV/radio: NBC; WXYT-FM (97.1).
Streaming: Peacock.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Banged-up Pistons look real good again in wire-to-wire win vs 76ers