Ebuka Okorie, man, that dude introduced himself to the league in the wildest way possible for the Detroit Pistons. Down by a whopping 19 points, Detroit snatched a 109-107 preseason win against the Phoenix Suns, thanks to Okorie’s clutch layup with just 5.8 seconds left on the clock. This wasn’t some garbage time bucket either, because he then locked down Jamar’s Bouyea on the other end, forcing a miss on a potential game-winning three. What a debut for the 17th overall pick, who didn’t even check into the game until 10:05 remained in the second half!
The Wildest Comeback You’ll See This Week
You kidding me with that comeback? The Pistons were legitimately trailing 79-60 in the third quarter, at the 8:52 mark. It looked like a done deal! But then the bench stepped up big time after both teams decided to chill their core guys in the second half. Detroit went on an insane 35-10 run, including a 24-5 surge to close out the third, tying the game at 84 with a contested three from Daniss Jenkins. They absolutely owned that third quarter, winning it 34-16 after being down 68-50 at halftime, and by the fourth, Javonte Green had them up 95-89 with 8:12 to play. Talk about a flip! Their shooting numbers tell the story too: a rough 37.2% in the first half turned into a sweet 54.3% in the second, while they tightened up their defense to hold the Suns to 41.2% after letting them shoot 54.5% early on. The defensive intensity just wasn’t there at first, but it definitely clicked when it counted.
Duren’s Absence, Holland’s Scoring, and Other Standouts
While Okorie was busy making headlines, the big question mark was Jalen Duren. The dude recently signed a massive five-year, $200 million deal after a contract standoff, and he was a healthy scratch for the opener. Coach J.B. Bickerstaff straight up said they’re taking their time, with a plan to ramp him up for the Oct 20 regular season opener. Duren was at shootaround and on the bench supporting, but he missed open practice and just took his physical. His absence was definitely felt early on, with the Suns getting an early 6-3 lead on the offensive glass and owning a 13-2 second-chance point advantage by the end of the first quarter. Detroit was outrebounded 26-18 at halftime, which tells you what Duren brings. Paul Reed started at center instead, and new addition John Collins slid over when Reed sat. Tolu Smith even made his debut late in the second. Offensively, Ron Holland led the Pistons with 14 points. Cade Cunningham, Ausar Thompson (who was out there handling the ball and hitting jumpers, by the way, fresh off his own five-year, $155 million deal), John Collins, and Paul Reed all chipped in 10 points each. Devin Booker led the Suns with 13 before he sat out the second half, just like Cunningham and Duncan Robinson.
What a start, even if it’s just preseason! This team showed some serious fight, and guys like Okorie proved they’re ready to make an impact. The focus now has to be on getting Duren fully integrated and ready to roll by the real games. That Oct 20 opener is coming fast, and if this preseason opener is any indication, it’s gonna be a wild ride. Can’t wait to see how they build on this!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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