Detroit Pistons drop heartbreaker to Nets, waste Drummond’s huge game

In a scene all too familiar, the Detroit Pistons (4-3) fell to the Brooklyn Nets (3-5) 120-119 in overtime Wednesday night. Former Piston Spencer Dinwiddie had the game-winning triple, while Andre Drummond finished with 24 points and 23 rebounds.

Spencer Dinwiddie was having a quiet night late in the third quarter when he drew a seemingly harmless foul on a 3-point shot.

Then he wasn’t.

The old adage that sometimes a player just needs to see the ball go through the basket to get going rang true on this night.

Dinwiddie proceeded to massacre the Detroit Pistons from that point forward, scoring 25 points over the final 17 minutes of regulation and five minutes of overtime, leading the Nets to 120-119 victory on Wednesday night.

The Pistons will truly be kicking themselves over this loss, wasting a combined 70 points from their big three, and blowing a late seven-point lead with three minutes left in the fourth quarter.

Not only did the big three of the Pistons show out in Brooklyn, but their bench had a season best night with 43 points.

Early on, however, it looked as if the Pistons were going to mail in this game on the second night of the back-to-back. The Pistons and Nets were a combined 0-for-9 to start the evening, but the Nets eventually got out and running to 27-12 lead with three minutes left in the first.

Looking for a spark, Dwane Casey turned to his bench. In somewhat stunning fashion, the reserves went on a 21-3 run between the end of the first quarter and the beginning of the second, taking a 33-30 lead.

The Nets looked as if they were regaining control of the game late in the second, but Detroit proceeded to end the first half on 22-10 run, including a buzzer-beating 3-point shot by Jose Calderon (probably didn’t think you would read that).

For the entire third quarter and  for much of the fourth, the Pistons looked to be in control of the game. The Piston lead pin-balled back and forth between 10 and five points throughout this time.

They were led by a monster performance from Andre Drummond, who had 24 points, 23 rebounds and two highlight-reel blocked shots.

The game changed on a late four-point play from Dinwiddie to make it 103-99 with three minutes left.

Brooklyn went on an 11-2 run to take their first lead since it was 50-49 Nets with 1:30 left in the first half. Their edge came after Jarrett Allen’s 3-pointer with over a minute left in the fourth.

Detroit responded with a Blake Griffin 3-pointer make to take a 108-107 lead. The Nets then had four offensive-rebounds on the next possession, but couldn’t make a shot.

The Pistons  took a 110-107 lead with 22 seconds left on two Reggie Jackson free-throws. Needing a three to tie, the Nets went to Dinwiddie, and he delivered on a deep triple to tie the game at 110.

Detroit had a chance to win at the end of regulation, but Jackson drove to the rim and took a tough contested shot that wasn’t even close.

The lead went back on forth in overtime, but Detroit looked to have the game won again late on seven consecutive points from Griffin.

The rug was pulled out from under the Detroit Pistons a second time however. The Nets again went to Dinwidde, who hit a cold-blooded corner three over Drummond to take a 120-119 lead with seven seconds left in overtime.

Detroit’s final possession included Griffin backing down, and launching a tough, contested fade-away that went begging off the rim.

Caris LeVert had 19 points, six rebounds and six assists, while Joe Harris had 23 on 8-for-14 shooting. Griffin started 4 of 11, but finished the game 4 of 7 with a number of clutch shots.

Reggie Bullock left the game with an ankle sprain and did not return.

The Detroit Pistons’ next game will be on Saturday when they travel to Philadelphia for an early tilt with the 76ers at 12:30 p.m.