On their way to the postseason and a fierce battle with the New York Knicks, the Detroit Pistons started slowly last year.
This time around, the Pistons are handling raised expectations well. They are off to their best eight-game start in nearly two decades and on a four-game winning streak heading into Friday’s visit to the Brooklyn Nets.
Detroit’s 6-2 start is its best since also winning six of the first eight games in 2008-09, the final season of a run of eight straight playoff bids. Last season, the Pistons lost five of their first six games, did not get above .500 for good until Feb. 9, posted their first winning record since 2015-16 and only their second since 2007-08.
The Pistons split their first four games, and since a 116-95 home loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers, they’ve beaten the Orlando Magic, Dallas Mavericks, Memphis Grizzlies and Utah Jazz.
In Wednesday’s 114-103 win over Utah, Detroit allowed 14 points in the third quarter after trailing by two at halftime. The Pistons allowed their fewest points this season and 38.4% shooting while getting a big game from Cade Cunningham.
Cunningham scored 19 of his 31 points in the fourth quarter and is averaging 28.8 points in his past four games. He also scored 19 in the fourth against Memphis in his previous outing.
“He’s big-time, I think that’s stating the obvious,” Detroit coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. “He’s an unbelievable player, unbelievable person, great teammate, great leader. Everything you want in a No. 1 guy, Cade’s it.”
The Pistons also got big nights from their frontcourt of Jalen Duren and Ausar Thompson. Duren totaled 22 points and 22 rebounds for his fifth career game with at least 20 boards, while Thompson finished with 18 and seven rebounds.
Detroit was without Tobias Harris for a third straight game due to an ankle injury and Isaiah Stewart has started the past three games.
The Nets are coming off a 112-103 win over the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday to snap a season-opening seven-game skid. Now they are hoping to avoid falling to 0-5 at home.
Brooklyn will pursue the win without Cam Thomas, who injured his left hamstring in the first quarter Wednesday after attempting a jumper. Thomas injured his hamstring three times last season and was limited to 25 games. He was ruled out for Friday with hamstring tightness.
It is unclear who will start for Thomas, but the Nets would likely keep Noah Clowney in the lineup alongside Michael Porter Jr. Porter missed Monday’s 125-109 loss to Minnesota due to personal reasons when the Nets hung around until the fourth quarter.
Clowney started for Porter on Monday and scored 15 points after totaling 26 points in Brooklyn’s first six games. He stayed in the lineup Wednesday and scored 17 points as part of a frontcourt that saw Nic Claxton score 18 points.
“For back-to-back games, we looked like a competitive group, we looked like a selfless group, and we looked like a connected group,” coach Jordi Fernandez said after the Nets outscored the Pacers 58-44 in the second half. “That’s the way that we want to get better. And that’s how we see our future in the short term, in the-long term. Winning starts now. And when you go out there and fight like this, that’s what we care for, now and in the future.”