Detroit Pistons snap 11-game losing streak with 117-97 win over Indiana Pacers

It had been more than a month since the Detroit Pistons entered the win column. They did so in dominant fashion on Monday.

The Pistons led by as many as 31 points en route to a 117-97 home victory over the Indiana Pacers, snapping their 11-game losing streak, the longest active streak in the NBA.

Cory Joseph led all scorers with 22 points, five rebounds and five assists, and Eugene Omoruyi — who signed a second 10-day contract on Monday — added a season-high 17 points and six rebounds on 8-for-12 overall shooting. James Wiseman (18 points, 14 rebounds) and Jalen Duren (12 points, 11 rebounds) both posted double-doubles, and Rodney McGruder (18 points) and R.J. Hampton (15 points) also reached double-figures in scoring.

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Killian Hayes also got his second-straight double-double with 10 points and 11 assists.

Both teams were depleted by injuries. Detroit was without Cade Cunningham, Isaiah Stewart, Marvin Bagley III, Bojan Bogdanovic, Alec Burks, Hamidou Diallo and Jaden Ivey, who missed his second-straight game in health and safety protocols. The Pacers were missing Tyrese Haliburton, Myles Turner, and Bennedict Mathurin.

Detroit shot 62.5% in the opening period and held the Pacers to 31.8% overall and 1-for-9 from 3. But a 31-point second-quarter lead was whittled down to 18 at halftime, following a 25-12 Pacers run to end the half. They extended their run to 33-14 in the third quarter, prompting an early Dwane Casey timeout. The Pistons retook control after with a 13-0 run that extended their lead to 82-57 midway through the period.

Before Monday, Detroit’s last win was a double-overtime home thriller against the San Antonio Spurs on Feb. 10.

Omoruyi shines in first start

The Pistons re-signed Omoruyi to a second 10-day contract on Monday morning. They were impressed by the play of the 6-foot-7 Nigerian forward, who provided defense, hustle and shot-making in his five appearances through his first contract.

Omoruyi was rewarded with his first start in a Pistons uniform, and only the third of his career. On cue, he gave the team energy and was a big factor in their hot start. He showcased good chemistry with Hayes early, as he knocked down a corner 3 and two layups — one cutting, and one in transition — on Hayes assists.

He became the first player in the game to crack double digits late in the first quarter when he finished a layup in transition following a Buddy Boeheim steal, giving him 11 points on 5-for-6 shooting. Defensively, he was active and blew up a Pacers possession early in the third period with a steal, picking off Aaron Nesmith as he looked for a teammate while falling out of bounds. Omoruyi has made a strong impression, and Monday was his most complete game thus far.

Hayes sets positive tone early

Monday was the second night in a row that Hayes answered a challenge from Dwane Casey to be more aggressive. Similar to Saturday, he was highly productive moving the ball around and was the main driver behind the strong offensive night.

Hayes scored eight points and dished seven assists in the first quarter, and he scored or assisted Detroit’s first eight field goals and 10 of their first 12. His fifth assist was to Omoruyi as he cut baseline for an open layup, giving the Pistons a 19-11 lead just past the midway point of the quarter. He still had a role in their first field goal he wasn’t directly responsible for, as Duren had a putback dunk on Hayes’ own missed layup.

His final bucket of the quarter, a push shot, extended Detroit’s lead to 10 with 2:20 on the clock. The Pistons kept rolling after Hayes went to the bench, ending the opening period with a 9-1 run to carry a 38-20 lead into the second quarter.

Hampton thrives off bench

After a slow start to his Pistons tenure, Hampton has been consistent. In his five games before Monday, he averaged 9.6 points on 48.4% overall shooting and 43.8% shooting from 3. It’s a small sample size, as he averaged just 18.3 minutes and took a total of 31 shots. But he has given the Pistons some needed energy as they manage a barrage of injuries.

Monday was his best game yet, as he knocked down all three of his 3-pointers and shot 5-for-8 overall. He’s finding his comfort level with 13 games remaining and could continue solidifying his spot in the rotation if Ivey misses more time.

Contact Omari Sankofa II at osankofa@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @omarisankofa‘.