Fresh off a historic comeback victory to open the NBA season, the Detroit Pistons will try to avoid another slow start Friday when they visit the Miami Heat, who are looking to rebound from a lopsided opening loss.
Detroit pulled off the largest comeback on the first day of the NBA season in the play-by-play era (1997-98), according to NBA Communications, when it erased a 22-point second-half deficit and put together a 23-0 fourth-quarter run to beat Boston 121-113.
The Pistons turned a 99-89 deficit with 8:19 left in the fourth into a 112-99 lead with 3:33 to go, tying their largest scoring run over the past 10 seasons, according to ESPN.
“We’re a team that’s known to be gritty, known to get it out the mud, known to never quit and that’s our identity,” Pistons center Jalen Duren said. “Even the guys who are new here are embodying that, and that’s why we were able to have the outcome we had.”
Duren began his fifth season with the Pistons, and his first since signing a fully guaranteed, five-year, $200 million deal earlier this month, with 22 points and nine rebounds.
Cade Cunningham also had 22 points and eight assists, and former Miami Heat guard Duncan Robinson added 21 points, hitting five 3-pointers.
Javonte Green also provided a spark off the bench, scoring all 19 of his points in the second half.
“My role is what took place (on Tuesday), which was going out there and changing the energy of the game. Doing whatever it takes to help my team win,” Green said.
About all that went right for the Heat in their opening game Wednesday was Giannis Antetokounmpo’s stellar debut as he finished with 35 points on 13-of-19 shooting and six rebounds. The rest was a forgettable performance, especially on the defensive end in a 131-106 home loss to Minnesota.
The Heat allowed the Wolves to shoot 21 of 50 from 3-point range (42%), and Anthony Edwards torched Miami with 45 points on 16-of-29 shooting, including 9-of-17 from 3.
“We have to be better. Our offense got to be better. We got to trust one another,” Antetokounmpo said. “Our trust cannot go out the window. Like when things don’t go our way, we got to dig in and trust one another even more, which is something that we didn’t do tonight. Hopefully, we can do it the next game.”
While the Heat’s major offseason investment appeared to be in midseason form, the rest of the team shot 8 of 31 (25.8%) from 3-point range and committed 19 turnovers, which led to 31 points for Minnesota.
Bam Adebayo finished with 15 points on 6-of-12 shooting, but Andrew Wiggins was held to 11 points and struggled defensively against Edwards.
“We got to keep trusting one another, and shots will fall. We have great shooters. Our spacing has to be better,” Antetokounmpo said. “Our offense was very, very stagnant. We did not look as fluid as the preseason. I don’t know. I can’t give you an answer why that is. Hopefully, when you watch the tape, I can understand myself what it is, and we can be better on Friday.”
