In a season marred by historic losing streaks, including an NBA record-tying 28-game skid, the Detroit Pistons demonstrated resilience and unwavering effort with a 129-117 victory against the Washington Wizards on Monday. This win marks only the fourth of the season for the Pistons.
Alec Burks was the standout performer, equalling his career-high with 34 points, leading the Pistons to snap a seven-game losing streak. Pistons coach Monty Williams praised the team’s consistent spirit and commitment despite the challenging season.
“We’ve had an unreal losing streak this year, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen our guys consistently go in the tank,” Williams said. “Everyone’s all in and wants to see each other do well.”
Jalen Duren contributed 20 points and 19 rebounds, while Jaden Ivey added 24 points, seven rebounds, and six assists. Burks’ exceptional performance, including 8-12 from beyond the arc, was a highlight as Detroit shot nearly 56% from the field.
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Teammate Isiah Stewart lauded Burks for his scoring prowess and veteran leadership, emphasizing his ability to deliver on the court consistently.
“He was in that bag today. He was in his Goel bag,” Stewart said. “I’m happy for AB. He’s a great vet. He can really score the ball. I love playing with him. It’s like every time he steps out on the floor, he’s in range. He’s the type of guy that just hits all kinds of shots. And once he’s hot, he’s hot.”
Burks’ scoring outburst matched his previous career highs, first in January 2014 with Utah and then in December 2021 with New York.
Tyus Jones scored 22 points leading the Wizards, complemented by seven assists and six rebounds. Jordan Poole and Deni Advija contributed 16 and 12 points, respectively. For Detroit, Stewart scored 16 points, and Ausar Thompson added 14.
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The game followed a trade between the Pistons and Wizards, involving Marvin Bagley III and Isaiah Livers moving to Washington in exchange for Danilo Gallinari and Mike Muscala, along with two future draft picks heading to Washington.
The match remained competitive through the first three quarters until Detroit’s 9-0 run in the third quarter established a lead. The Pistons extended their advantage to 15 points in the fourth quarter in a matchup between the Eastern Conference’s two lowest-ranked teams.
“You could point to a number of things,” Shamet said. “We had too many stretches where our attention to detail kind of fell off. Our attention to physicality.”
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Washington’s Landry Shamet pointed out that the team’s lapses in attention to detail and physicality contributed to the loss. Kyle Kuzma, who scored 21 points and grabbed eight rebounds for the Wizards, was ejected in the final minutes for arguing with an official.
Looking ahead, the Pistons will host the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday, while the Wizards are set to visit the New York Knicks on Thursday.
