Detroit never lost control of the night, even when it looked like they might.
The Pistons jumped on Portland early, stretched the lead past 20, then spent most of the fourth quarter dealing with their own sloppiness before finally slamming the door in a 110-102 win over the Trail Blazers. Jalen Duren was the constant, pounding the paint and finishing everything in sight. Ausar Thompson flew around the floor, and Cade Cunningham ran the offense efficiently until foul trouble cut his night short.
Portland made things uncomfortable late, turning turnovers into points and briefly pulling ahead after Cunningham fouled out. But Detroit steadied itself, leaned back into its strengths, and closed on an 11-2 run that restored order. It wasn’t clean. It wasn’t sharp all the way through. But it was another win for a team that keeps finding ways to stay on top.
Jalen Duren Controlled The Game Where It Mattered Most
Duren was the most consistent presence on the floor all night. He finished with 26 points on 11-of-15 shooting, grabbed 10 rebounds, and added two blocks while owning the paint on both ends. Detroit scored repeatedly through him early, and Portland never found a clean answer when the ball went inside. Six of his rebounds came on the offensive glass, creating second chances that wore the Blazers down.
Even when Detroit’s lead vanished in the fourth quarter, Duren stayed effective. He scored through contact, finished quickly when Portland sent late help, and kept possessions alive when the offense stalled. The Pistons won the offensive rebounding battle 22–9, and Duren was the biggest reason why. His physicality changed the tone of the game.
Detroit’s Defense Forced Mistakes, Even During Shaky Stretches
The Pistons didn’t shoot the ball well from deep — just 7-of-30 from three — but they made up for it by pressuring Portland into mistakes. Detroit finished with 11 steals and forced 19 turnovers, turning those miscues into 26 points the other way. Ausar Thompson alone recorded three steals, while Cade Cunningham and Javonte Green helped disrupt passing lanes.
Shaedon Sharpe scored 25 points, but he also committed eight turnovers, many of them coming when Detroit crowded him on drives. Portland struggled to maintain rhythm, especially late, and the Pistons repeatedly turned defensive stops into fast-break opportunities. Detroit finished with a 34–8 edge in fast-break points, a massive swing that offset the cold perimeter shooting.
Cade Cunningham’s Foul Trouble Tested Detroit, And They Passed
Before fouling out, Cunningham was quietly putting together a strong night. He finished with 14 points, nine assists, and six rebounds in 26 minutes, shooting 6-of-9 from the field. The ball moved well with him on the floor, and Detroit looked organized even when shots weren’t falling.
When he picked up his sixth foul with more than eight minutes left, the game tilted. Portland took advantage, going on a 12–2 run and briefly grabbing a one-point lead. What mattered most was Detroit’s response. Instead of rushing, the Pistons slowed things down, leaned on ball movement, and got stops when they needed them most. They closed the game with an 11–2 run that never felt panicked.
Portland’s Inefficiency Doomed Them
The Blazers lived at the free-throw line, attempting 43 shots and making 29 of them. Deni Avdija went 9-of-15, Sidy Cissoko hit 10-of-13 off the bench, and those points kept Portland within striking distance long after the game should have been out of reach.
Outside of that, the offense struggled to generate clean looks. Portland shot 33-of-74 overall and just 7-of-32 from three. They managed only eight fast-break points and were outscored 66–40 in the paint. Even with the Pistons leaving the door open, too many possessions ended without quality shots, and that eventually caught up with them.
