NBA: Blown out night before, Pistons respond by crushing Timberwolves
Saddiq Bey #41 of the Detroit Pistons is fouled by D’Angelo Russell #0 of the Minnesota Timberwolves on his way to the basket in the second half at Little Caesars Arena on January 11, 2023 in Detroit, Michigan. Detroit won the game 135-118. Gregory Shamus/Getty Images/AFP
Saddiq Bey poured in a season-high 31 points and the host Detroit Pistons snapped Minnesota’s four-game winning streak with a 135-118 victory over the Timberwolves on Wednesday night.
Bojan Bogdanovic supplied 27 points, six rebounds and four assists, while Killian Hayes had 18 points and nine assists for Detroit. Jaden Ivey contributed 18 points and eight assists and Hamidou Diallo also scored 18 points before fouling out.
Alec Burks added 15 points and five assists as the Pistons swept the two-game season series. Detroit won at Minnesota 116-104 on New Year’s Eve.
Nerlens Noel had four blocks and three steals in his second start this season.
Anthony Edwards led the Timberwolves with 20 points and six assists. D’Angelo Russell tossed in 19 points with five assists, while Rudy Gobert had 16 points and 14 rebounds. Jaden McDaniels chipped in with 11 points.
Natalie Kerwin spoke with Saddiq Bey, who caught fire in the second quarter, helping his team take the lead at the half.#Pistons | @ThinkFordFirst @NatalieKerwin1 | @SaddiqBey pic.twitter.com/eC1YhQ0V68
— Bally Sports Detroit (@BallySportsDET) January 12, 2023
The Pistons, who outscored the Timberwolves 70-54 in the second half, were missing two starting front-court players: Isaiah Stewart (shoulder) and Jalen Duren (ankle).
After Detroit gave up a season-high 147 points to Philadelphia on Tuesday, Minnesota scored the game’s first 10 points on Wednesday. The Timberwolves held the lead until three seconds remained in the half, when Hayes made a layup to give his team a 65-64 halftime advantage.
Bey led the way with 18 first-half points, while Russell topped Minnesota with 14 points. Both clubs shot over 50 percent overall and from behind the 3-point arc.
A 14-2 run early in the second half gave Detroit a 79-71 lead. Bey and Bogdanovic had five points apiece during that span.
Detroit finished the quarter on a 17-8 run to take a 101-87 lead into the fourth. Bogdanovic supplied eight of those points and Diallo had a pair of baskets.
The Pistons also scored the first eight points of the fourth quarter to increase the lead to 22. Burks and Isaiah Livers contributed 3-pointers in that spurt.
The Timberwolves never recovered. Bey made another 3-pointer with five minutes to go for a 23-point Pistons lead.
