Detroit Pistons fell to the Chicago Bulls for the first time this season.
The Pistons were consistent tonight in showing one of their trademark traits this year: being inconsistent. After the best win of the season on Saturday night against the Warriors, the Pistons fell in a very winnable game at home against a team they came into the game having beat twice this season already.
There were many issues that hurt the team today, but two were very evident: lack of effort on the defensive end and a lack of mental toughness. The Pistons allowed a two to one foul ratio and only six free throw attempts through three quarters, to destroy their chances of winning this game. In person, some of the calls seemed bad. It’s difficult to know how bad, since the Palace refuses to offer fans the most basic of arena comforts: instant replays. Regardless, this game was not lost because of poor calls by the officials, but a lack of ability to focus and lock in defensively.