The Warriors didn’t just drop a game to the Pistons; they spent most of the night chasing it, scrambling to cover up early mistakes, and then took an even bigger hit when Stephen Curry went down. Detroit’s 131-124 win was loud, physical, and built on a first half where Golden State’s defense simply didn’t show up. By the time the Warriors found some rhythm, the hole was already deep.
Golden State made things interesting late, trimming what had been a 20-point deficit, but the climb cost them energy, and eventually their closer. Curry’s knee issue took the air out of the building, and the Warriors never fully recovered, turning a bad defensive night into a worrying one.
1. The First Half Defense Set The Wrong Tone
The Pistons dropped 77 points in the first half and dominated from start to finish. The Pistons have the ability to score from anywhere. They went 46-of-95 and scored 62 points in the paint. The Pistons were continuously shredding Golden State’s interior D and finishing over their smaller lineups.
Detroit also had the luxury of scoring 25 points in fast breaks as compared to 10 from Golden State. The Pistons jumped to a lead of 20 and cruised to a controlled game flow for 90% of it. This was created from the defensive lapses of the Warriors at the beginning of the game, which forced them to be in an uphill battle.
2. Cade Cunningham Controlled Everything
Cade Cunningham clearly understood the Golden State Warriors had no real answer for him. He scored 29 points on 11-of-19 shooting, recorded 11 assists, and controlled the pace of the game. He took advantage of mismatches every time Golden State switched. If they helped out, he passed the ball to the open shooter. It was nice to see very calculated and under control basketball.
Detroit’s offense as a whole reflected that control. The Pistons had 31 assists, and just 16 turnovers, and many of those scoring possessions started with Cunningham bending the defense. His ability to score in the midrange kept the Warriors from overcommitting to the three-point line, and every time Golden State threatened a run, he steadied things.
3. Stephen Curry Was Rolling, Until He Wasn’t
Before exiting, Curry had 23 points in 25 minutes, knocking down 7-of-16 shots and 4-of-10 from three while going a perfect 5-for-5 at the line. He was one of the few Warriors who could consistently bend Detroit’s defense, and his shot-making helped fuel Golden State’s second-half push.
But the Warriors felt his absence immediately. Curry also had 4 turnovers, part of a sloppy team night with 18 total giveaways, which turned into 31 Detroit points off turnovers. Without him to stabilize the offense late, Golden State’s possessions became more frantic and less efficient.
4. Pistons Won The Physical Battle Inside
The Pistons were simply stronger and more active inside. They won the rebounding battle 53-42 and grabbed 15 offensive boards, repeatedly earning second chances that drained Golden State’s defense. Jalen Duren set the tone with 21 points and 13 rebounds, including 6 on the offensive glass, and went 7-of-14 from the floor.
Isaiah Stewart added muscle off the bench with 14 points on 7-of-10 shooting and 2 blocks, and Detroit as a team outscored Golden State 62-40 in the paint. That kind of gap forces you to be nearly perfect from the perimeter just to keep up, and the Warriors weren’t.
5. Warriors Shot Volume From Deep Couldn’t Save Them
On paper, 18 made threes looks like a good night. In reality, it came on 52 attempts, and that 34.6% clip wasn’t efficient enough to erase everything happening inside. Meanwhile, Detroit lived at the line, going 29-of-36 (80.6%), compared to 26-of-35 (74.3%) for Golden State, a small difference that added up in a tight finish.
Brandin Podziemski nearly had a triple-double with 11 points, 8 rebounds, and 8 assists, but shot just 1-of-8 from the field. Moses Moody knocked down 3 threes, yet missed 4 free throws. The Warriors actually matched Detroit with 31 assists, but too many solid offensive possessions were undone by turnovers or defensive breakdowns on the other end. When the margins are that thin, you can’t keep giving points back, and Golden State did it all night.
