Pistons: Lack of Bench Scoring, Turnovers Lead to First Loss

It was going to happen eventually but tonight was the night the Detroit Pistons were handed their first loss of the season. The Pistons exceeded expectations by winning their first three but the magic ran out tonight as the Indiana Pacers got a win at the Palace of Auburn Hills.

The Pistons were playing their first game since beating the Chicago Bulls last Friday but rust can hardly be to blame. The Pistons had a 30-24 lead after the first quarter but it was all Indiana for much of the second and third quarters as the Pacers lead swelled to as many as 20 points.

The Pistons tried to make a run in the fourth quarter but the damage was already done and the hole was too deep. The Pacers used hot shooting in the middle part of the game to seize control while the Pistons turned the ball over far too frequently and got nothing from their bench.

It wasn’t until early in the fourth quarter when Spencer Dinwiddie got the Pistons’ first bench points of the game. Dinwiddie’s one bucket would be the only bench points the Pistons would get tonight.

Add in 22 turnovers and the Pistons had too many wasted possessions in a game in which they couldn’t afford any. Turnovers and poor shooting nights from Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Marcus Morris kept the Pistons from being able to keep up with the Pacers on the scoreboard tonight.

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Andre Drummond remained a bright spot, posting another double-double to become the first Piston since Ben Wallace in 2004-05 to record double-doubles in four straight games to start a season. Drummond finished with 25 points and a career-high 29 rebounds in 43 minutes of playing time.

It was Drummond’s second game with 20 or more points and 20 or more rebounds already this season. No one else in the NBA has one such game this season. It was Drummond’s sixth 20-20 game of his career. Only Bill Laimbeer has more on the Pistons all-time list with ten.

The Pistons now hit the road for a six-game west coast road trip while the Cleveland Cavaliers will be on tap when they return home.