Detroit relies on defense, not luck for big St. Patty’s Day win
The Detroit Pistons dominated the New Orleans Pelicans 127-81 behind some suffocating defense that allowed them to open up the offense and coast to a much-needed win.
The Pistons were led by a Big Easy performance from Cade Cunningham, who didn’t seem to break a sweat while notching 24 points, eight assists and four rebounds.
Instead of relying on the luck of the Irish, the Pistons relied on the best game of the season from Italian sharpshooter Simone Fontecchio. Coming off offseason foot surgery, Fontecchio has struggled this season, but he was on fire tonight.
Fontecchio had marinara in his veins and played with a big pair of arancinis, taking the ball strong to the rim and finishing in traffic while also knocking down all five of his three-point attempts. He finished with a season-high 24 points on 9-of-10 shooting.
If Simone has truly turned the corner, it could be a huge development for the Pistons, who don’t really have a source of offense from the power forward position behind Tobias Harris unless Fontecchio is hitting shots.
Detroit gave up just 10 made field goals to New Orleans in the first half, tying an NBA low for the season. During that dominant first half, they held every Pelican in check, including star Zion Williamson, building a 31-point lead.
New Orleans was able to get Zion going and chip away at the lead, but it was too much to overcome. Williamson finished with an inconsequential 30 points to lead all scorers. But his scoring burst couldn’t make it a real game, and eventually, the Pistons were able to keep the lead around a comfortable 30-point range. The reserves really dominated in garbage time and stretched the lead out to 46.
The Pistons finished with 10 steals, seven blocks, and scored 20 points off of the Pelicans’ turnovers. They dominated the boards, the fast break, and the game. It was a great response after a couple of frustrating losses.
Detroit faces the Pelicans again this Sunday at Little Caesars Arena. They must remember not to treat the Pelicans like they did the Wizards, winning easily in one game and then letting a win slip away in the next matchup.