Detroit, MI

Tobias Harris turns it on as Detroit Pistons fight off Boston Celtics

Published

3 months ago

January 19, 2026

Tobias Harris turns it on as Detroit Pistons fight off Boston Celtics

Hours before Monday’s game, the Detroit Pistons got good news: Cade Cunningham was named an Eastern Conference starter in the 2026 NBA All-Star Game.

The East-leading Pistons followed that national statement with one of their own, pulling off a nail-biting win over the second-best team in the East, defeating the Boston Celtics, 104-103 at Little Caesars Arena. The nationally broadcast game featured 14 ties and nine lead changes, but the Pistons prevailed by holding the Celtics to 39.8% shooting, capped by a game-ending miss by Jaylen Brown.

Tobias Harris (25 points) lifted a Pistons offense that struggled to hit 3-pointers through most of the night. His biggest shot was a corner 3-pointer with 1:32 remaining in the game that gave the Pistons a five-point cushion, 104-99. Brown, who led all scorers with 32 points and 11 rebounds, answered with a pair of jumpers to cut the Pistons’ lead to one with 45 seconds left.

It ended up being the final basket either team hit. Cunningham missed a midrange jumper with 14 seconds left that would’ve given them a 3-point cushion, but Brown’s game-winning attempt from midrange on the other end bounced off the back of the rim, and then the front as the clock expired.

Jalen Duren added 18 points and nine rebounds, and Cunningham tallied 16 points and 14 assists. The Pistons shot just 6-for-25 from 3 through the first three periods but went 5-for-10 in the fourth while holding Boston to 7-for-20 (35%) overall.

The win gives the Pistons a 5½-game lead over the Celtics in the Eastern Conference (as well as a 3-1 season series win against Boston) with 12 games left before the All-Star break. Their next opponent isn’t nearly as competitive, as the Pistons will head to New Orleans to face the Pelicans – currently run by former Pistons execs Joe Dumars and Troy Weaver and sporting the worst record (10-35) in the Western Conference – on Wednesday (8 p.m., FanDuel Sports Network Detroit).

Pistons throw block party during second quarter

After shooting just 33.3% in the opening period, the Pistons found their offensive groove in the second — thanks to their defense. They recorded five blocks during the quarter, which got their transition game going and swung momentum in their favor.

Stewart led off the block party by swatting a two-handed poster attempt by Celtics center Neemias Queta. It was one of his most impressive blocks in a season filled with impressive blocks, a good percentage of them on dunk attempts.

It was Cunningham’s turn next, rejecting a dunk attempt by Jordan Walsh in transition. It initially was ruled a foul, but coach J.B. Bickerstaff won an ensuing challenge. The Pistons took their first lead the following possession, with a Javonte Green 3-pointer making it 35-33 with 7:16 before halftime.

Thompson followed, getting a hand on a top-of-the-key 3-point attempt by Pritchard and finishing a fastbreak dunk. The Pistons outscored the Celtics, 33-22, in the second period while holding them to 30% (6-for-20) shooting. At halftime, Boston was just 33.3% from the floor with nine turnovers, off which the Pistons scored 14 points.

After trailing by eight points midway through the first, the Pistons led 59-51 at halftime despite hitting just four of their 18 3-point attempts up to that point.

Duren dominates Celtics’ frontcourt

The fourth-year big man put together his highest-scoring game of 2026, taking advantage of the Celtics’ biggest weakness — frontcourt depth. Other than their starting center, Queta, Boston’s bigs consist of former Pistons second-round pick Luka Garza and former Michigan State big Xavier Tillman.

Duren got going early, leading the Pistons with nine points after the first quarter. Garza checked in at the 7:54 mark and picked up two quick fouls while defending Duren, and subbed back out at the 4:50 mark. The lob connection with Cunningham got going early — he tipped in one from Cunningham and from Robinson in the first, and flushed a powerful two-handed lob from Cunningham late in the third quarter to extend the Pistons’ lead to 76-73.

MUST WATCH: Make “The Pistons Pulse” your go-to Pistons podcast, listen available anywhere you listen to podcasts (Apple, Spotify) ]

Want more Pistons updates? Download our free app for the latest news, alerts, eNewspaper and more.

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

Source link

Click to comment

Detroit, MI

Troopers arrest Detroit woman after drive-by shooting on I-94

Published

11 hours ago

April 18, 2026

Press Room

Troopers arrest Detroit woman after drive-by shooting on I-94

A Detroit woman was arrested in the aftermath of a hit-and-run collision and shooting on Interstate 94, Michigan State Police reported.

Emergency dispatchers were called shortly after midnight Saturday about the altercation. Troopers reported the caller said while they were driving eastbound on I-94, near Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, a black Jeep sideswiped them and sped off.

The caller then decided to follow the Jeep.

In response, police said, the driver of the Jeep fired several gunshots in the caller’s direction.

None of the gunshots struck the vehicle.

Troopers were able to use license plate reader camera technology to locate the Jeep while it was on the Lodge Freeway, made a traffic stop. The driver and two passengers were taken into custody without incident.

The passengers were released shortly afterwards; troopers believe that the 19-year-old driver was the shooter. She has been lodged pending further review by the prosecutor’s office.

In addition, a firearm was recovered from the vehicle.

The above video originally aired on Aug. 19, 2025.

In:

Source link

Detroit, MI

Orlando Magic vs Detroit Pistons odds for NBA playoffs Game 1 Sunday

Published

23 hours ago

April 18, 2026

Press Room

Orlando Magic vs Detroit Pistons odds for NBA playoffs Game 1 Sunday

Who is favored in the NBA playoffs odds for Game 1 between the Detroit Pistons and Orlando Magic?

Here’s what you need to know about NBA playoff betting odds for the NBA game between the No. 8 seed Magic and No. 1 seed Pistons, which is being played on Sunday, April 19, 2026.

What is the point spread for the Pistons vs Magic game?

What is the moneyline for the Magic vs Pistons game?

What is the over/under (point total) for betting on the first-round NBA playoff matchup?

Watch Magic at Pistons on Peacock

Magic vs Pistons odds: What is point spread?

According to BetMGM Sportsbook, the Detroit Pistons are an 8.5-point favorite over the Orlando Magic in Game 1 of their NBA Playoffs series.

Pistons vs Magic odds: What is moneyline?

BetMGM Sportsbook lists Detroit as -375 on the moneyline for the first-round NBA playoff game. It has Orlando at +290.

Magic vs Pistons odds: What is over/under?

The point total for the opening game of the NBA playoffs series between the Pistons and Magic is listed at 218.5 points, per BetMGM Sportsbook.

Reach Jeremy Cluff at jeremy.cluff@arizonarepublic.com. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter @Jeremy_Cluff.

Support local journalism: Subscribe to azcentral.com today. Sign up for azcentral Preps Now. And be sure to subscribe to our daily sports newsletters so you don’t miss a thing.

Source link

Detroit, MI

Detroit Tigers call up prospect Hao-Yu Lee, place Zach McKinstry on IL

Published

1 day ago

April 17, 2026

Press Room

Detroit Tigers call up prospect Hao-Yu Lee, place Zach McKinstry on IL

Boston — Not a bad place for big-league debut.

The Tigers on Friday placed Zach McKinstry on the 10-day injured list and called up infield prospect Hao-Yu Lee from Triple-A Toledo. He was in the lineup against the Red Sox, batting eighth at Fenway Park.

“We’re excited for Lee to get his feet wet in the big leagues,” manager AJ Hinch said. “He’s a good player. We’ve had him in big league camp the last two years. He hits the ball hard and can play good defense. Now he’s getting his first look at one of the cathedrals in our sport for his debut.”

Part of the decision to call up Lee, and not Jace Jung or Trei Cruz, Hinch said, was where the Tigers are in the schedule. Including Friday against Ranger Suarez, the Tigers will be facing six lefties in the next 12 games.

The right-handed hitting Lee slugged .558 with a .969 OPS against lefties last season.

Coming off an oblique injury this spring, which kept him from playing for Chinese Taipei in the WBC, he’s off to a slow start at Toledo (4 for 26).

“He’s been swinging it better than his numbers indicate,” Hinch said. “Results are so finicky this time of year. He’s coming off a good day (Wednesday). He hit a home run. So it’s good timing for that. He’s been hitting it hard and making good decisions on what to swing at.

“And that is key in transitioning from Triple-A to the big leagues.”

McKinstry exited Wednesday night’s game against the Royals ahead of the eighth inning of the Tigers’ 2-1 victory. He fell hard on the hip twice. Once on a head-first slide at the plate and the other after he was tripped up by Royals’ Jac Caglianone.

“He’s pretty beat up,” Hinch said. “We didn’t want to play short-handed but we’re also hoping to get him back quickly.”

McKinstry stayed back in Detroit and is expected to undergo further evaluations.

“He was doing better today than he was yesterday,” Hinch said. “But he clearly needed a break to heal up.”

Lee, 23, was not made available to the media until after the game. He is No. 6 among the Tigers’ top 30 prospects, according to MLB Pipeline, and was acquired by the Tigers in an August 2023 trade that sent starting pitcher Michael Lorenzen to the Philadelphia Phillies.

Around the horn

Justin Verlander (hip inflammation) did not make the trip to Boston. “We have to respect the soreness and inflammation that he’s dealing with,” Hinch said. “He’s working out and he’s doing everything. It’s just going a little bit slower. We’re going to respect it and give him the time he needs.”

… Lefty reliever Bailey Horn (elbow), who has had his throwing program paused, received a cortisone shot Thursday.

Chris.McCosky@detroitnews.com

@cmccosky

Source link