The Sacramento Kings (17-27) beat the Detroit Pistons (21-25), 109-104, on Monday night to sweep the season series.
The Detroit Pistons lost 109-104 to the Sacramento Kings, who rode a strong showing from their bench to victory. Frankly, the Kings came out and got this W behind an energy and effort level that the Pistons simply didn’t bring tonight.
The Pistons finally had their full squad healthy for the first time all season and they still were outcompeted at home by a Kings team who came in struggling.
Detroit led 38-28 at the end of the first quarter, but the all-bench unit that came on to start the second quarter surrendered 16 points in the period’s first three minutes and six seconds. The Kings rode that momentum to win the quarter 37-24 and never looked back .
Sacramento’s bench scored 52 points to Detroit’s 30. The Pistons were outrebounded 44-37, including 10-5 on the offensive end. Also, they gave up 17 second-chance points, an area where they only allow a league-leading 9.4 per game.
The Kings were led by DeMarcus Cousins, who finished with 22 points, 14 rebounds and 6 assists, and Ty Lawson, who scored 19 points (including nine in the second quarter) and handed out 6 assists. Reggie Jackson had 18 points and 11 assists for Detroit.
Sacramento’s win snapped a five-game losing streak, while Detroit’s loss puts an end to their three-game win streak. The Kings are 2-8 in their last ten games, with both wins coming against the Detroit Pistons.
Next: The truth behind the Pistons’ defensive woes
The Detroit Pistons are off until Saturday, when they’ll face the Heat in Miami.