Last Detroit Lions game, coach Dan Campbell forgot to give quarterback Jared Goff a game ball, as he hadn’t realized Goff finished the game a perfect 18-of-18 against the Seattle Seahawks. He wasn’t going to make the same mistake this week after the Lions’ 47-9 spanking of the Dallas Cowboys.

“I do have two game balls, and this time I wrote down some stats,” Campbell told the locker room.

He proceeded to give the balls to safety Brian Branch and Goff.

Branch finished the game with two interceptions, one forced fumble and a quarterback hit. Goff was 18-of-25 for 315 yards and three touchdowns.

But when Goff got his game ball, he gave it right back to Campbell in an awesome gesture to his head coach.

“Our fucking head coach is our fucking rock now,” Goff said. “We’re in fucking Dallas in his fucking place where he played. Game ball goes to him.”

It’s a really neat gesture, and I think it speaks to Campbell’s overall impact in the locker room. The team certainly has an emotional hole to fill following the significant injury to Aidan Hutchinson, but I don’t think anyone is anticipating the team taking a motivational step back in his absence. Campbell has a unique ability to turn negative moments into future inspiration.

Goff then proceeded to make Campbell break down the locker room. With an almost embarrassed smile on his face, Campbell accepted.

“How about a little, ‘kick ass’ on three?”

This team is special, y’all.

The Detroit Pistons, Detroit City Clerk, and the Detroit Department of Elections are partnering with Rock the Vote and Detroit Votes to host Pistonsland: What Up D.O.E., an exciting outdoor concert and festival on Saturday, Oct. 19. From 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., the free event will take place on West Grand Blvd. between Third Ave. and Cass Ave., celebrating the Pistons, Detroit culture, and the kickoff of early voting.

The festival will feature live performances from national and local artists, including GRAMMY-winning rapper Lil Baby and Detroit stars Baby Face Ray, Peezy, Sada Baby, and Skilla Baby. Attendees can explore themed areas like Playland, Munchieland, Styleland, and Communityland, which offer free carnival rides, roller skating, minigolf, food trucks, and more.

“Pistonsland: What Up D.O.E. will give Detroiters the opportunity to make their voice heard through early voting while celebrating the best of Detroit’s culture, music and community,” said Chris Economeas, Sr. Director of Community & Social Responsibility. “As an organization at the forefront of civic engagement, we look forward to offering this event as an opportunity for Detroiters to get out and vote while enjoying a free day of fun and excitement in Detroit.”

As part of the celebration, attendees can cast their early vote by visiting the Detroit Department of Elections headquarters (2978 W Grand Blvd), located within the event footprint.

Pistonsland is part of the larger “Vote City” initiative, a series of free events in Detroit, Philadelphia, and Milwaukee that celebrate local communities and encourage early voting.

Tickets are free and available at pistonsland.com/registration. For more details and event updates, visit pistonsland.com.

The Golden State Warriors didn’t need their stars to bury the Detroit Pistons under a barrage of 3-pointers on Sunday. 

The Pistons were blown out on the road by the Warriors, 111-93, even though the 2022 NBA champs were without Steph Curry and Draymond Green. They overcame their absence by knocking down 18 3-pointers on 39 attempts. A 17-2 run at the end of the first quarter created an insurmountable deficit for the Pistons, who knocked down just seven of their 29 shots beyond the arc (and only one of nine in the opening period). 

Jaden Ivey led the Pistons with another strong night — 19 points (7-for-10 shooting, 3-for-5 from 3) and four assists, though he also committed four turnovers. Cade Cunningham (18 points, seven assists) and Jalen Duren (14 points, nine rebounds, three blocks) also scored in double figures. 

OFFENSIVE WORK: Tobias Harris shines in debut, Cade Cunningham does a lot in blowout for Detroit Pistons

Six players reached double figures for the Warriors, with Moses Moody (14 points) leading the way. The Pistons (2-2) will finish the preseason on Wednesday at home against the Cleveland Cavaliers (7 p.m., Bally Sports Detroit). 

Head coach J.B. Bickerstaff replaced Tim Hardaway Jr. with Malik Beasley in the starting lineup, which was rounded out by Cunningham, Ivey, Duren and Tobias Harris (six points, four assists, three blocks, two steals).

Ivey continues to show consistency as shooter

The third-year guard has been the Pistons’ best offensive player, in part thanks to the leap he appears to be undertaking as a 3-point shooter. He entered Sunday’s game having knocked down six of 12 attempts through three games, and he was nearly the only Piston who could hit one against the Warriors, responsible for three of their seven makes.

It’s not just Ivey’s shooting, though — his speed is a weapon and he has looked more confident in an offense in which he has consistently found ways to get moving downhill. Ivey has attacked open space on cuts, lost defenders on screens and beat entire defenses in transition. So far in preseason, he’s second in field goal percentage (26-for-43, 60.5%) and only trails Cunningham in shot attempts. 

Pistons still seeking balance in first and second units

It was a competitive game for all of eight minutes. When Cunningham checked out for the first time, with 4:34 to play in the first quarter, the Pistons trailed 16-15. They didn’t score a field goal the rest of the quarter to trail by 14 points at the end of the period. 

The second unit, with Ivey as the sole ball-handler playing with Hardaway Jr., Ron Holland, Simone Fontecchio and Isaiah Stewart, struggled to find its flow as Golden State fired 3-pointers, making six of their seven attempts in the quarter. Cunningham and Harris are two of the Pistons’ best passers, and the offense faltered with both of them on the bench. 

Bickerstaff has staggered Cunningham and Ivey so far, but Ivey may need more support if he’s to play long stretches of the game without Cunningham.

Contact Omari Sankofa II at osankofa@freepress.com. Follow him @omarisankofa.