KCP’s career-high 38-point performance leads Pistons to win

Feb 1, 2017; Auburn Hills, MI, USA; Detroit Pistons guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (5) celebrates with forward Marcus Morris (13) and center Aron Baynes (12) after defeating the New Orleans Pelicans 118-98 at The Palace of Auburn Hills. Mandatory Credit: Leon Halip-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 1, 2017; Auburn Hills, MI, USA; Detroit Pistons guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (5) celebrates with forward Marcus Morris (13) and center Aron Baynes (12) after defeating the New Orleans Pelicans 118-98 at The Palace of Auburn Hills. Mandatory Credit: Leon Halip-USA TODAY Sports

On a night when most of the starters didn’t have it going, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and the Detroit bench led the Pistons to a much-needed 118-98 win over the New Orleans Pelicans.

A year ago, it was the Pelicans’ Anthony Davis putting up gaudy numbers at the Palace. On Wednesday night, it was Kentavious Caldwell-Pope’s turn for the Detroit Pistons.

KCP scored a game-high 38 points on 8-for-11 shooting from beyond the arc, eclipsing his previous career high of 31 points while helping the Pistons break a three-game losing streak.

Caldwell-Pope’s offensive explosion was much-needed, to say the least. He outscored the other four Pistons starters 38-32, shooting 67 percent from the floor while the other four combined couldn’t break 40 percent.

Andre Drummond played well with 17 points, six rebounds and three steals, but Detroit’s best production came from the bench. Tobias Harris was the team’s second-leading scorer with 19 points, while Stanley Johnson had a great overall game (four points, six assists, five rebounds and a steal) in 25 minutes. Ish Smith played 27 minutes in relief of a largely ineffective Reggie Jackson, notching 15 points and seven assists.

It was a game of runs for both the Pistons and the Pelicans. There were 19 lead changes overall, many of them coming early as Caldwell-Pope and the Pelicans’ Anthony Davis led their teams in a back-and-forth first quarter. Detroit led by as many as 11 points in the second quarter, but then promptly fell behind by eight in the third.

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But late in the third quarter, KCP and the Pistons’ bench came roaring back. With 4:58 left in the quarter, Stanley Johnson hit an mid-range jumper to cut the deficit to six. The Pistons played excellent defense on Anthony Davis for two possessions in a row, with Tobias Harris and Aron Baynes forcing a turnover leading to a fast break and a Caldwell-Pope floater. KCP then stole an Anthony Davis pass and converted the layup to cut the deficit to two.

A Caldwell-Pope 3-pointer at the end of the quarter gave Detroit a 83-81 lead. The lineup of Ish Smith, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Stanley Johnson, Tobias Harris and Aron Baynes went on to improve that lead, which the Pistons did not relinquish.

Anthony Davis came out hot in the first half with 23 points, but only managed eight in the second half. Jrue Holliday recorded 22 points and 11 assists.

With the win, the Pistons improve to 22-27. The Pelicans fall to 19-31.

Detroit will be back in action Friday night against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

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