Pistons rout depleted Pacers from the jump in dominant victory
Cade Cunningham, Duncan Robinson and Javonte Green had 16 points apiece, and the host Detroit Pistons thumped undermanned Indiana from the jump in a 121-78 win on Saturday night.
Jalen Duren supplied 15 points, eight rebounds and four assists for the Pistons during their fifth victory in six games. Caris LeVert added 10 points and Marcus Sasser chipped in nine, as all 13 of their players scored.
The Pistons, who led by as many as 46 points, clinched the season series against the Pacers. Detroit is 3-0 against its Central Division rival with one game remaining.
Jarace Walker's 13 points led Indiana, Tony Bradley had 12 points, and Ethan Thompson and Isaiah Jackson added 10 points apiece.
Aaron Nesmith (rest), Pascal Siakam (rest), Bennedict Mathurin (right thumb sprain), T.J. McConnell (knee, elbow injury management) and Andrew Nembhard (lower back) didn't suit up for the Pacers. Indiana was playing the second game of a back-to-back after defeating New Orleans at home on Friday.
Indiana was limited to 23.3% shooting and missed all but one of its 18 3-point attempts while trailing 59-25 at halftime. The Pacers also committed 13 turnovers, which the Pistons turned into 11 points.
Robinson scored the first basket of the game, a 3-pointer. Detroit took a 9-0 lead before Quenton Jackson made a layup to get the Pacers on the board. The Pistons then scored the next 15 points, including eight from Cunningham, for the 24-2 lead.
The quarter ended with Detroit leading 31-11.
Duren's layup with 8:49 remaining in the half gave the Pistons a 41-15 lead. Robinson's layup with 2:04 left in the half stretched the lead to 28 points. A Robinson 3-pointer nudged the lead past the 30-point mark.
Ronald Holland II's three-point play midway through the third gave the Pistons a 41-point lead at 83-42.