FAST BREAKDOWN
Three quick observations from Friday night’s 147-144 four-overtime win over the Chicago Bulls
SLAM DUNK – Somebody call the guys at NBA TV. We had us one of those instant classics in Chicago. Also, you might want to remember it down the road when Stan Van Gundy’s teams find themselves making playoff runs, because this was the type of game – a four-overtime win the Pistons will cherish for the many obstacles overcome and fatigue that had to set in for starters who all played between 49 and 55 minutes. The Pistons scored the first seven points of the fourth overtime, but Chicago pulled back within one point on a Jimmy Butler triple with five seconds left. Reggie Jackson (31 points, 13 assists) hit two free throws with 4.4 seconds left and the Pistons survived another triple attempt from Butler to win it. The Bulls had a chance to end it in regulation, but Derrick Rose missed a 20-footer. The Pistons had chances to win at the end of both of the first three overtimes, but Jackson missed runners to end each of the first two and a jump shot to end the third. Andre Drummond scored a career-high 33 points to go with 21 rebounds. He, Marcus Morris and Stanley Johnson all fouled out in the fourth overtime. The Pistons overcame a 27 for 46 night at the free-throw line – Chicago made its first 20 and finished 39 of 44 – and an 8 of 29 night from the 3-point line, though they got huge triples in the third overtime from Marcus Morris and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope after they trailed by four. Butler finished with 43 for Chicago in what is the first four-overtime game in Pistons history.
FREE THROW – The Pistons got valuable contributions from their two oldest players, Steve Blake and Joel Anthony. With Aron Baynes missing the game with back spasms, Joel Anthony served as the backup to Andre Drummond. The Pistons led by three points to start the second quarter when Anthony replaced Drummond and they were up by five when he handed it back to Drummond a little more than five minutes later. The Bulls scored just nine points in that time, Anthony knocking down two foul shots and grabbing two rebounds, though his biggest contribution was shutting down the paint to penetration. Blake had to come on earlier than usual when Reggie Jackson checked out with two quick fouls and he played 12 of his 19 minutes in the first half and scored eight points, hitting all three of his shots, with a rebound, an assist, a steal and no turnovers. Blake also played very good defense on Derrick Rose, stifling his penetration. Anthony had to finish the game when Drummond fouled out in the fourth overtime.
3-POINTER – The Pistons’ defense has traveled well this season. It’s their offense that’s led to the disparity in their home-road record. The Pistons are 10-4 at The Palace this season – they had a last shot to win or tie in three of their losses – and came into Friday’s game 5-8 on the road. Their defensive numbers show very little difference. They give up 98.2 points at home, 98.5 on the road. Opponents shoot .451 against them at home, .459 on the road. Opponents do shoot a little better from the 3-point arc in their own arenas – .371 to .322 at The Palace – but the difference is mitigated somewhat by the fact road opponents take 20.2 triples a game against the Pistons to the 21.4 they take at The Palace. It’s a little different story at the other end. The Pistons average 104.5 in home games and shoot .441 overall and .361 from the 3-point line – league average are 100.8, .444 and .350 – while their corresponding road numbers are 95.3, .409 and .299. A good chunk of the disparity can be chalked up to the road-heavy schedule in November when the Pistons were struggling offensively. The Pistons played 11 of their first 17 games on the road. They averaged 107.9 in their last 10 games before Friday and been over 100 points eight times in that stretch compared to being over 100 only four times in those first 17 games. The 147 they put up at Chicago is going to give a nice boost to their road scoring average.
