Pistons Power Past Kings for Second Straight Road Win, Stay Atop Eastern Conference

Detroit erupts offensively in 136–127 victory at Golden 1 Center

The Detroit Pistons continued their dominant early-season run Tuesday night, delivering one of their most complete offensive performances of the year in a 136–127 road win over the Sacramento Kings at Golden 1 Center.
The victory improved Detroit to an NBA-best 24–6 record, keeping the Pistons firmly at the top of the Eastern Conference and extending their strong start to a 2–0 mark on a five-game West Coast road trip.

Pistons Explode After Early Timeout

After a sluggish opening stretch left Detroit trailing 12–11, head coach J.B. Bickerstaff called a timeout with 7:37 left in the first quarter — a moment that completely flipped the game.
The Pistons responded with a 26–12 run to close the quarter and never looked back.
Detroit followed that surge with:
• 75 points in the first half (season high)
• A 40-point third quarter
• 37, 38, and 40 points scored across the first three quarters
It marked the fourth-highest scoring output by the Pistons this season.

Ball Movement Fuels Historic Night

Detroit’s offense hummed thanks to elite ball movement:
• 38 of 51 made field goals came via assists
• Season-high assist total
“I thought we shared the game,” Bickerstaff said.
“We played at a high clip and created the opportunities we wanted.”
Late Push Holds, Despite Fourth-Quarter Lull
The Pistons built a 24-point lead, but Sacramento surged late, outscoring Detroit 30–21 in the fourth quarter and cutting the deficit to seven points in the final moments.
Still, unlike recent games where late pressure proved costly, Detroit closed it out calmly.
“I watch how these guys care for one another — it’s special,” Bickerstaff said.
“It’s a really unique group.”

Balanced Scoring Leads the Way

Four of Detroit’s five starters scored in double figures:
• Tobias Harris: 24 points (10-of-16 shooting)
• Cade Cunningham: 20 points, 14 assists, 38 minutes
• Jalen Duren: 23 points, 12 rebounds
• 14 points in the third quarter alone
“This is what we play the game for,” Duren said.
“We’ve got great chemistry and great coaching — success was bound to come.”

Bench Production Remains Solid

Despite a short rotation on the second night of a back-to-back:
• Isaiah Stewart: 16 points off the bench
• Jaden Ivey: 8 points
Ivey, who hit a game-winning four-point play in Sacramento nearly a year ago, once again contributed in the same building.

What’s Next for Detroit

With two days of rest ahead, the Pistons will close out 2025 entirely on the road:
• Dec. 26: at Utah Jazz
• Dec. 28: at LA Clippers
• Dec. 30: at LA Lakers
Detroit enters the final stretch of the calendar year playing some of the most efficient and connected basketball in the league.