Detroit, MI
Detroit Pistons move back above .500 with Cade Cunningham triple-double vs. Raptors
Debating Ron Holland’s star potential
Bryce and Omari talk the high ceiling of Detroit Pistons rookie Ron Holland. Full pod out now.
The Detroit Pistons have been one of the league’s brightest teams for nearly a month. They added to their in-season turnaround with another victory on Saturday night.
The Pistons defeated the Toronto Raptors at Little Caesars Arena, 123-114. With the win, the Pistons are back above .500 at 20-19, cracking the 20-win threshold for the first time since 2021-22 — with 43 games still on the schedule. They’ve won six of seven games and nine of their past 11. (It was also their fifth straight win over the Raptors.)
Cade Cunningham secured his seventh triple-double of the season with 22 points, 17 assists (one shy of his career-high) and 10 rebounds. Tim Hardaway Jr. finished with a season-high 27 points, shooting 9-for-12 overall and 7-for-8 from 3, and Tobias Harris added 17 points and seven rebounds.
The Pistons led by 13 in the first quarter, but it was otherwise a close game for most of the night. Toronto tied the game at 32 by the end of the first, and there were 16 lead changes and 10 ties. Even though the Pistons shot 52.4% overall and 57.6% from 3, the Raptors kept within distance by scoring 23 points off 17 Pistons turnovers.
With under five minutes remaining and trailing by two, Toronto’s Jacob Poeltl and RJ Barrett missed a pair of free throws apiece on back-to-back possessions. Cunningham then gave the Pistons a 113-109 cushion with a midrange jumper.
With 2:31 left, a dunk from Jalen Duren extended their lead to six, and Malik Beasley’s 3-point dagger with 1:44 on the clock pushed the lead to 118-111, virtually clinching the win.
Hardaway erupts in return
The Pistons’ certainly missed Hardaway’s scoring punch on Thursday, when they just couldn’t muster enough offense during a home loss to the Golden State Warriors. He put together one of his best performances of the season during his return Saturday.
Hardaway was on fire from the jump, knocking down all three of his 3-point attempts in the opening quarter, and two within the opening minutes. He hit two more in the closing minutes of the second half, helping the Pistons regain the lead after a Raptors push made them face their first deficit of the night, 56-54, with 2:44 to play until halftime.
The third period was his strongest — he knocked down all four of his attempts, including two 3-pointers, for 11 points in the quarter. He gave the Pistons the lead twice early in the third with his sixth 3-pointer, and a strong drive through contact that created an opportunity for a three-point play.
It was his second time in three games scoring at least 26 points, and his seven made 3-pointers were a season-high.
Bickerstaff donates to Los Angeles fire victims
Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff opened his pregame press conference with words of support for the victims of the fires in Los Angeles that struck the Palisades, among other areas. He matched his words with his actions, as well.
He agreed to donate $500 toward relief efforts for every assist the Pistons tallied on Saturday. Throughout the game, the Pistons displayed a QR code for NBA Cares on the video board at center court, directing fans toward resources such as American Red Cross and World Central Kitchen.
“I just wanted to take some time to acknowledge what’s going on in the Los Angeles area, and the families and people and how they’re impacted,” Bickerstaff said. “I was moved to this reading some stuff that JJ Redick was going through, Steve Kerr’s family and community is going through, and I just want to make sure we take this time to find a way to support one another the best way we possibly can. The people that are going through these things, how all of us can do something, no matter what it is, to just reach out and help humanity at this point.”
Contact Omari Sankofa II at osankofa@freepress.com. Follow him on X @omarisankofa.
Detroit, MI
Detroit Lions rule out All-Pro safety, list 7 others as questionable vs. Rams
ALLEN PARK — The Detroit Lions will be without safety Kerby Joseph again this weekend, while listing seven other players as questionable.
Joseph and fellow safety Brian Branch were the only players ruled out ahead of Sunday’s game against the Los Angeles Rams. Branch is out for the season due to an Achilles injury, but has not been placed on injured reserve yet. And Joseph, who will now miss his eighth straight game, suffered a setback and could be a candidate for injured reserve, per Dan Campbell.
The Lions listed tight end Shane Zylstra (knee), running back Sione Vaki (thumb), wide receiver Kalif Raymond (ankle), guard Christian Mahogany (fibula), safety Thomas Harper (concussion protocol), left tackle Taylor Decker (shoulder/rest) and guard Kayode Awosika (foot) as questionable.
Decker has not practiced this week. But he’s been dealing with a shoulder injury all season and is coming off playing three games in less than two weeks. Awosika missed last week’s game against the Dallas Cowboys due to his foot injury. The veteran guard has practiced in a limited capacity all week long.
Trystan Colon and Miles Frazier split duties at left guard last week for Awosika. The Lions will have a decision to make there between those three options, but perhaps for only another weekend.
Mahogany returned to practice this week. He seems like a longshot to play this weekend based on his injury. But the Lions are listing him as questionable after logging three limited practices in his first action back on the field.
Zylstra has been back at practice for two weeks in his return from injured reserve. Heading into the weekend, the Lions have only one tight end on their 53-man roster (Anthony Firkser) and hope to get Zylstra back.
Campbell said Harper has a chance to play against the Rams despite spending the week in concussion protocol. The Lions could sure use Harper, with Branch and Joseph both out, to hold things down at safety with Avonte Maddox against the high-powered Rams.
“Harper will be out there at practice today, so feel pretty good about him, but we’ll see,” Campbell said on Friday morning. “There again, I can’t give you definitives right now, but that’s kind of where we’re at.
“So, we’ll be good. Look, (Erick) Hallett’s been taking reps, (Daniel Thomas) DT’s been taking reps, Maddox has been taking reps. We’ve got plenty of guys. They’re getting valuable reps, so we’re good.”
Raymond has missed two consecutive games due to an ankle injury suffered against the New York Giants. He has a shot to return after working back into practice, and should reclaim his role returning punts.
Vaki has continued to play through his thumb injury. He hasn’t returned kickoffs since suffering the injury, with Tom Kennedy and Jacob Saylors taking over.
Detroit, MI
Oilers turn in smart, defensive game and Hyman hat trick for 4-1 win over Detroit: Cult of Hockey Player Grades
CONNOR McDAVID. 9. In a quiet first minutes of this one McDavid had the most dangerous shot for, glancing off Talbot’s shoulder and out. Terrific patience on the doorstep before dishing to Hyman for the 1-0. Nearly outwaited Talbot again later in the frame. Dished the disk back to Ekholm on the 2-0. Pranced in and rifled a backhand off Talbot. Hi-lite reel assist on the 3-1, where he knocks down a puck then puts a backhand through his own legs to a waiting Hyman alone in the slot. An assist on the 4-1, for his forty-third four-point game. 63% on faceoffs. Second Star.
Detroit, MI
SAY Detroit unveils plans for new play center on city’s west side
Detroit Lions WR Amon-Ra St. Brown on ankle injury recovery
Amon-Ra St. Brown said he started feeling better two days before the Detroit Lions’ game against the Cowboys, after injuring his ankle Thanksgiving.
SAY Detroit had a surprise in store during its 14th annual fundraiser.
The charity founded by Detroit Free Press columnist Mitch Albom announced plans for a new SAY Detroit Play Center on the city’s west side during its annual radiothon, taking place on Thursday, Dec. 11. The after-school educational center will be built on the campus of St. Cecilia’s church, which includes the historic St. Cecilia gym, also known as the Mecca of Detroit basketball.
The new facility will be called the SAY Detroit Play Center at St. Cecilia.
This will be the organization’s second play center, with the first opening in 2015 along Van Dyke Avenue on the city’s east side. The center provides educational and recreational opportunities for kids from 8-18 at Lipke Park.
The announcement was made during the foundation’s 15-hour radiothon, which raises money for SAY Detroit and other affiliated charities. Last year’s radiothon raised a record $2.23 million, with the fundraiser bringing in over $16.5 million in total since it was launched in 2012.
SAY Detroit was founded in 2006 by Albom and operates the play center and free family health clinic, along with providing a housing program for Detroit families and other direct efforts with the community.
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You can reach Christian at cromo@freepress.com.
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