NBA Finals preview fizzles in Detroit with Pistons beating short-handed Thunder

DETROIT (AP) — The Detroit Pistons faced a shell of the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday night in a possible NBA Finals preview.

By the time it ended, with East-leading Detroit winning 124-116, the Thunder were without their top six scorers.

“We obviously had the wind in our faces a little out there tonight,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said. “I thought it was a really good effort by the guys who played to gut that one out.”

Oklahoma City started the game without its four leading scorers — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (abdomen), Jalen Williams (hamstring), Ajay Mitchell (abdomen) and Chet Holmgren (back) — and sixth-leading scorer Isaiah Hartenstein (calf).

The only player from the top six who played was Isaiah Joe, who averages 11.0 points, and the only regular starter will be Lu Dort.

With those two and a few rotation players, the Thunder led 34-22 after one quarter, but the Pistons outscored them 36-18 in the second — the worst margin Oklahoma City has had in any quarter this season.

Things got even worse at halftime, with Joe (hip) and two-way center Branden Carson (back) unable to play,

Detroit led 92-75 late in the third quarter.

“The game got away from us a little bit in the third, and it looked like it was going to be a runaway,” Daigneault said. “But our guys did a great job of getting back into it.”

Oklahoma City got as close as three points in the fourth, but couldn’t get the Pistons off the glass

The unquestioned star of the night for Oklahoma City was center Jaylin Williams. He had 14 of his career-high 30 points in the fourth quarter.

“He showed great toughness and, obviously, great offense,” Daigneault said. “We really flowed through him, and against a team that really pressures like Detroit, he was a great help for us.”

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