NBA: Third quarter run carries Pistons past Hawks
Jerami Grant #9 of the Detroit Pistons plays against the Atlanta Hawks at Little Caesars Arena on March 07, 2022 in Detroit, Michigan. Gregory Shamus/Getty Images/AFP
Jerami Grant had 21 points, eight rebounds and four assists and the host Detroit Pistons scored 23 unanswered points in the third quarter while rolling to a 122-101 win over the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday.
Cade Cunningham supplied 17 points, eight assists and six rebounds as the Pistons had eight players in double figures. Kelly Olynyk tossed in 16 points, Killian Hayes contributed 13 points, eight rebounds and five assists and Marvin Bagley III added 13 points and seven rebounds.
Saddiq Bey made three 3-pointers to give him 192 on the season, a new Pistons single-season mark. Bey finished with 10 points.
Your single season record holder for 3-pointers made!
👌 #SaddiqTrey 👌@BallySportsDET | @SaddiqBey pic.twitter.com/K6aBSerCHZ
— Detroit Pistons (@DetroitPistons) March 24, 2022
Trae Young had 21 points and nine assists to lead the Hawks. Bogdan Bogdanovic added 13 points.
Grant reached the 14-point mark by halftime and Olynyk contributed 10 off the bench as Detroit took a 59-51 halftime lead. Young kept his team within striking distance by scoring 14 points and dishing out six assists.
Leading 61-55 early in the second half, Detroit suddenly took a commanding lead with its 23-point outburst.
Cunningham got it started with a left-handed layup, followed by a right-handed finger roll. Bey hit a 3-pointer and Cory Joseph (11 points) then heated up. He contributed a three-point play, a 3-pointer, a technical foul free throw and a layup during the run. Grant was also a major factor, supplying seven points and two assists.
That layup was 𝕝𝕦𝕕𝕒𝕔𝕣𝕚𝕤 🤭@BallySportsDET | @CadeCunningham_ pic.twitter.com/15PmjUa1Ul
— Detroit Pistons (@DetroitPistons) March 24, 2022
That flurry gave the Pistons an 84-55 lead.
A field goal by Bogdanovic finally ended the Hawks’ drought with 4:48 left in the quarter. That began a 23-9 Atlanta run to finish the quarter and cut Detroit’s advantage to 15. Delon Wright knocked down a pair of 3-pointers during that span and Bogdanovic scored the final points of the third with another 3-pointer.
The Pistons opened the fourth quarter with an 8-2 spurt that included five Cunningham points for a 101-80 lead. The Hawks never got within 18 points the rest of the way.
