DETROIT — Cade Cunningham struggled from the floor in the first half of Wednesday’s season — and home — opener at Little Caesars Arena. But by the start of the third quarter, the fourth-year guard found his rhythm, matching the intensity permeating throughout the arena.
With 7:18 left in regulation, Cunningham put Indiana’s Pascal Siakam in the spin cycle, giving the Pistons a one point lead. Things quickly faltered from there as the Pistons had a cold spell, which they could not recover from.
The Pistons fell short to the Pacers, losing 115-109, in a highly competitive contest until the game’s final moments.
Cunningham was perfect from the free-throw line in the first half (4-for-4) but struggled from the field (1-for-8 for six points). That changed early in the third quarter when he scored 10 quick points, including a poster dunk over Indiana’s Myles Turner at the 10-minute mark.
Altogether, Cunningham finished with 28 points, eight assists and five rebounds. His backcourt mate Jaden Ivey didn’t shoot the ball well (5-of-13 for 17 points) but was solid in other areas, adding five rebounds and four assists.
J.B. Bickerstaff, in his first season as the Pistons’ head coach, started Cunningham, Jaden Ivey, Jalen Duren, Tobias Harris, and Tim Hardaway Jr.
During Cunningham’s first-half struggles, three of the Pistons’ newest additions — Harris, Hardaway, and Malik Beasley — led the scoring charge. The veteran trio accounted for 31 of the Pistons’ 58 first-half points, leading all scorers at the break.
Hardaway, who struggled with his shot during the preseason, opened the game with the Pistons’ first six points on back-to-back 3-pointers. After missing his next four shots, he found his rhythm in the second half and finished with 14 points.
Harris fueled the first-half offense, scored all 13 points in the first half. He missed all four of his shot in the second half. Beasley, a key offseason acquisition, energized Detroit’s second unit with 14 points. He hit a timely 3-pointer early in the third quarter, helping to stave off a Pacers rally that saw them go on an 11-1 run.
Indiana’s Turner led the charge during that run, scoring 16 points in the third quarter, including three 3-pointers. He finished with 20 points and nine rebounds.
Assisting Turner was two-time NBA All-Star Pascal Siakam, who was big for Indiana in all facets. He finished with 19 points, nine assists and eight rebounds.
Indiana’s other two-time All-Star, Tyrese Haliburton, had a poor shooting night (6-of-18 for 15 points) and missed his first eight three-point attempts.
But he didn’t miss the last one.
With 20 secs left and the Pacers holding a 110-107, Haliburton hit a dagger three-pointer to put the Indiana up by six, sealing the victory. Detroit’s cold shooting in the fourth quarter (5-of-20) was their demise as Indiana outscored them 33-19.
The Pistons will practice on Thursday before they hit the road to face the Cleveland Cavaliers, Bickerstaff’s former team on Friday. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m.
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