Balanced Pistons roll to win over Thunder
FILE — Jerami Grant #9 of the Detroit Pistons looks to drive to the basket during the second half against the New York Knicks at Little Caesars Arena on February 28, 2021 in Detroit, Michigan. Gregory Shamus/Getty Images/AFP
Jerami Grant scored 21 points to lead the Detroit Pistons to a 132-108 win over the host Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday.
The game was the opener of a five-game road trip for the Pistons, who bounced back from a 44-point loss to the New York Knicks on Saturday and have won three of their past five.
The Thunder have lost three in a row and six of their past seven.
Detroit had seven players score in double figures, with Josh Jackson and Sekou Doumbouya contributing 14 each.
Feelin OK in OKC 👌
🔹 @JeramiGrant 21 points / 5 rebounds
🔹 @j_josh11 14 points / 5 rebounds
🔹 Sekou: 14 points / 3 rebounds
🔹 @Dreamville_33 12 points / 6 reboundsEvery Piston that touched the floor put up points💥 pic.twitter.com/QiDoRSKyvC
— Detroit Pistons (@DetroitPistons) April 6, 2021
The Pistons shot 51.6 percent from the floor while hitting a season-high 49 field goals.
The Thunder were led by 19 points from Aleksej Pokusevski. The rookie was the only Oklahoma City player with more than one 3-pointer as the team shot a season-worst 18.5 percent from behind the arc (5 of 27).
Detroit started hot, jumping to a 26-8 lead in the first seven minutes. Josh Jackson scored eight quick points in the first three-plus minutes before picking up his second foul and being forced to the bench. However, the Pistons kept rolling offensively after that, thanks to a pair of former Oklahoma City players — Hamidou Diallo and Grant.
Diallo was playing his first game against the Thunder after a March trade sent him to Detroit for Svi Mykhailiuk and a second-round draft pick.
When Diallo came in for Jackson, Detroit’s lead quickly grew, as the Pistons scored the last 15 of what proved to be a 17-0 run.
Grant scored 10 in the first quarter.
The Thunder started the game just 1 of 7 from behind the 3-point arc. Oklahoma City didn’t have much better luck near the basket, as Detroit’s Isaiah Stewart had four blocks, all in the first 6:04.
After leading 30-19 following the first quarter, Detroit scored the first 12 points of the second thanks to five quick points by Frank Jackson.
The Thunder cut the deficit to seven early in the second half but quickly fell behind by 15, and the Pistons’ advantage never dipped below nine the rest of the way.
Oklahoma City’s Kenrich Williams left the game with a left ankle sprain early in the fourth quarter and did not return.
