The Indiana Pacers defeated the Detroit Pistons 115-109 on Wednesday night, marking the debut of coach J.B. Bickerstaff for the Pistons. Myles Turner led the Pacers with 20 points, while Pascal Siakam and Bennedict Mathurin contributed 19 points each. Despite holding a 12-point lead and leading at the end of each of the first three quarters, Detroit faltered in the fourth.
In a tightly contested matchup that featured 13 lead changes and four ties, the Pacers overcame an eight-point deficit in the final period, outscoring the Pistons 33-19. Tyrese Haliburton added 15 points for Indiana, while T.J. McConnell chipped in 14. The Pacers retained key players, including All-Star forward Siakam, who signed a maximum contract after a surprising run to the Eastern Conference finals last season.
For the Pistons, Cade Cunningham scored 22 of his 28 points in the second half. The team’s new veterans, Tim Hardaway and Malik Beasley, each scored 14 points, and Tobias Harris added 13 points in his second stint with the franchise. Jaden Ivey recorded 17 points, while Jalen Duren contributed 13 points and 13 rebounds.
A critical moment in the game occurred when a charge-block call was overturned with 6:31 remaining, shifting what could have been a three-point play for Harris into a one-point deficit for the Pistons. Indiana tightened its defense in the fourth quarter, limiting Detroit to just five of 20 shooting, a significant drop from nearly 50% in the first three quarters.
The Pacers will next face the New York Knicks on Friday night, while the Pistons travel to Cleveland for their next game.