Detroit Pistons Blog – Page 32 – NBA Blog

Anthony Davis scores 59 points against Pistons

The Pelicans are having a mess of an NBA season, but their star Anthony Davis will make fans forget that for a day, unleashing an epic performance against the Pistons Sunday. Here’s Michigan Live reporting:

Davis had a career-high 59 points, the highest-scoring game in the NBA this season, to go with 20 rebounds, and willed the New Orleans Pelicans to a 111-106 victory Sunday.

Davis became the first NBA player ever to record a 50-point game at The Palace of Auburn Hills, He also became just the third player in the last 30 years with a 50-20 game, along with Shaquille O’Neal in 2000 and Chris Webber in 2001.

The Pelicans’ power forward was 24 of 34 from the field, including making both his 3-point attempts, and 9 of 10 from the free-throw line.

Meantime, the Pistons (27-29) have major problems after slipping two games under .500 for the first time.

Rockets trade Donatas Motiejunas and Marcus Thornton to Pistons

The Detroit Pistons announced today that the team has acquired forward/center Donatas Motiejunas and guard Marcus Thornton from the Houston Rockets in exchange for center Joel Anthony and a protected 2016 first-round draft pick.

“We’re happy to welcome Donatas and Marcus to the Pistons family,” said Jeff Bower, General Manager of the Detroit Pistons. “We like Donatas’ size, his skill level and his ability to play two frontcourt positions. Marcus adds scoring punch to our bench with his ability to create his own shot and make plays. We thank Joel Anthony for his professionalism throughout his time here and we wish him the best going forward.”

Motiejunas, 7-0, 222, has appeared in 191 games in his four-year NBA career and averaged 8.0 points, 4.0 rebounds and 1.0 assists with the Rockets. He averaged career highs in points (12.0 ppg), rebounds (5.9 rpg), assists (1.8 apg), minutes (28.7 mpg), field goal percentage (.504) and games (71) last season.

A native of Lithuania, Motiejunas, 25, was the 20th pick in the 2011 NBA Draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves. He played professionally in the Polish League during the 2011-12 season and led Prokom Gdynia to the Polish League Championship averaging 15.7 points and 6.6 rebounds. He’s also played professionally in Italy and Lithuania and has been a member of the Lithuanian national team at both the youth and senior levels.

Thornton, a six-year NBA veteran, averaged 10.0 points and 1.4 assists in 47 games with the Rockets this season. In 436 career NBA games, he’s averaged 12.4 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.4 assists with New Orleans, Sacramento, Brooklyn, Boston, Phoenix and Houston. He averaged a career-high 18.7 points per game during the 2011-12 season as a member of the Sacramento Kings. Drafted 43rd overall in the 2009 NBA Draft by the Miami Heat, Thornton’s draft rights were traded to the New Orleans Hornets.

Anthony, 33, saw action in 62 games as a Piston and averaged 1.5 points and 1.7 rebounds. He was acquired from the Boston Celtics on October 17, 2014 in exchange for Will Bynum and re-signed with the Pistons on July 20, 2015. An eight-year NBA veteran, Anthony has averaged 2.2 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.1 blocks in 465 career games. He was a member of the HEAT’s 2012 and 2013 NBA Championship teams.

Magic trade Tobias Harris to Pistons for Brandon Jennings, Ersan Ilyasova

The Orlando Magic have acquired guard Brandon Jennings and forward Ersan Ilyasova (ER-san eel-ya-SO-va) from the Detroit Pistons in exchange for forward Tobias Harris, General Manager Rob Hennigan announced today.

“Brandon (Jennings) and Ersan (Ilyasova) are two veterans that will help balance our roster and provide valuable experience to our team,” said Hennigan. “Both players bring scoring, competitiveness and added depth to our roster. We want to thank Tobias (Harris) for his contributions, both on and off the court.”

Jennings (6’1”, 169, 9/23/89) has played in 23 games (one start) this season with Detroit, averaging 6.8 ppg., 3.0 apg. and 2.0 rpg. in 18.1 minpg. He has led (or tied) the team in scoring once, in rebounding once and in assists three times this season. Jennings has scored in double figures six times this season, including a season-high 22 points on Jan. 30 @ Toronto.

Originally selected in the first round (tenth overall) of the 2009 NBA Draft by Milwaukee, Jennings has played in 435 career regular season NBA games with Milwaukee and Detroit, averaging 16.0 ppg., 6.0 apg., 3.2 rpg. and 1.34 stlpg. in 33.1 minpg., while shooting .800 (1,233-1,541) from the free throw line. He has also appeared in 11 career playoff games, averaging 16.7 ppg., 3.7 apg., 2.7 rpg. and 1.55 stlpg. in 34.7 minpg. Jennings was named to the 2009-10 NBA All-Rookie First Team and earned NBA Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month four times (October/November 2009, December 2009, January 2010 and March 2010), becoming the first Eastern Conference rookie to capture monthly honors four times during one season. He poured in a career-high 55 points on Nov. 14, 2009 vs. Golden State.

Ilyasova (6’10”, 235, 5/15/87) has played and started in 52 games this season with Detroit, averaging 11.3 ppg., 5.4 rpg. and 1.1 apg. in 27.6 minpg. He has led (or tied) the team in scoring four times and in rebounding three times this season. Ilyasova has scored in double figures 30 times this season, including a season-high 23 points on Dec. 2 vs. Phoenix. He logged a career-high 54 minutes on Dec. 18 @ Chicago.

Originally selected in the second round (36th overall) of the 2005 NBA Draft by Milwaukee, Ilyasova has played in 505 career regular season NBA games with Milwaukee and Detroit, averaging 10.8 ppg., 6.0 rpg. and 1.1 apg. in 24.3 minpg., while shooting .369 (506-1,372) from three-point range. He has also appeared in 17 career playoff outings, averaging 9.8 ppg. and 6.2 rpg. in 24.5 minpg.

Harris (6’9”, 235, 7/15/92) has appeared and started in 49 games this season with Orlando, averaging 13.7 ppg., 7.0 rpg. and 2.0 apg. in a team-high 32.9 minpg. Originally selected in the first round (19th overall) of the 2011 NBA Draft by Charlotte, he was acquired by the Magic from Milwaukee, along with Doron Lamb and Beno Udrih, in exchange for J.J. Redick, Gustavo Ayon and Ish Smith on Feb. 21, 2013. Harris played in 205 games (168 starts) with Orlando, averaging 15.6 ppg., 7.0 rpg. and 1.8 apg. in 33.2 minpg.

Pistons will soon retire jersey of Chauncey Billups

Here’s Michigan Live reporting on the Detroit Pistons and retired guard Chauncey Billups, who currently does TV broadcasting:

Wednesday marks the jersey retirement for former Detroit Pistons point guard Chauncey Billups, the second this season for a player who flourished in Detroit after previous stops in the NBA.

Billups averaged 16.5 points and 6.2 assists during his eight-season tenure with the Pistons, numbers he continued to produce in the four or five seasons after.

Which begs the question: Why didn’t his previous stops in Boston, Toronto, Denver give him more time to develop?

“People always criticize the Celtics on that one, for giving up on him,” Pistons coach Stan Van Gundy said. “But it was also, I look, and it was two different systems. It’s very possible that Chauncey, as good as he was, would not have been as good staying in that system. It’s not just patience, sometimes it’s fit.”

Pistons beat Warriors 113-95

Before the game, Detroit coach Stan Van Gundy said Golden State simply has more margin for error than other teams, meaning the Warriors can win even when they don’t play their best.

Not on this night against Van Gundy’s Pistons.

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope held his own against Stephen Curry for most of the night, scoring 20 points as the Pistons handed the Warriors their second loss in three games, 113-95 on Saturday.

Much of the pregame talk centered around how well Caldwell-Pope might be able to defend Curry. The Golden State star scored 38 points, but Caldwell-Pope gave the Pistons a boost offensively.

“I think we know that we’re capable of beating anybody,” Van Gundy said afterward…

Drummond had 14 points and 21 rebounds, and Reggie Jackson scored 20 points for Detroit. The Pistons had six players in double figures, while Golden State had only three. Klay Thompson scored 24 points for the Warriors.

— Associated Press

Pistons unable to upset Spurs

As is usually the case in this era of the NBA, the San Antonio Spurs are one of the league’s best teams this season. On Tuesday they won their 9th game in a row. Here’s Michigan Live reporting:

Stan Van Gundy could only shake his head.

Tony Parker had just scored a season-high 31 points, newcomer LaMarcus Aldridge 25, and the aging San Antonio Spurs, playing some of the best basketball in the NBA today, handed the Detroit Pistons a 109-99 defeat Tuesday night in front of 14,273 at The Palace of Auburn Hills.

His team had only played to their potential half the time, Van Gundy said, making it a game down the stretch before the Spurs used their multiple scoring threats to bludgeon Detroit for good.

“Look. They’re very, very good,” Van Gundy said. “But we came out, started the game … we played hard with good energy, defended. Then they went to their bench and their bench destroyed us in the first half. Then our starters came with nothing to start the second half defensively. Absolutely nothing.”

Marcus Morris and Paul George fined

Detroit Pistons forward Marcus Morris has been fined $15,000 for shoving Indiana Pacers forward Paul George, and George has been fined $10,000 for contributing to the altercation, it was announced today by Kiki VanDeWeghe, Executive Vice President, Basketball Operations.

The incident occurred at the conclusion of the Pacers’94-82 win over the Pistons on Jan. 2 at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.

Brandon Jennings has big praise for Reggie Jackson

Detroit Pistons guard Reggie Jackson is averaging 20.4 points, 4.2 rebounds and 6.4 assists per game this season. Guard Brandon Jennings is just set to return from injury and should be in the mix soon. Here’s Michigan Live with more:

Brandon Jennings was back in uniform and active, though he did not play against the Heat. Jennings said his role until Pistons coach Stan Van Gundy calls upon him is “to be a great leader on the bench and cheer guys on, things like that.” Jennings, who is one of the Pistons’ leaders in social-media use, posted on Twitter that he believes Jackson is the best point guard in the Eastern Conference right now. “He’s definitely living up to what people thought he was going to be. That’s why I say, right now, he’s playing like the best point guard in the East,” Jennings said. “Two-time player of the week, that’s pretty hard to get. We’re over .500 and things like that, so I think he’s doing a great job. Me, I keep it real on Twitter. I don’t care. I say what I feel and I just feel like he’s the best point guard in the East. First-time starter, a guy who’s had a lot of pressure on him, I think he’s handled it really well.”

Reggie Jackson, Kawhi Leonard named NBA Players of Week through Dec. 20

Detroit Pistons guard Reggie Jackson and San Antonio Spurs forward Kawhi Leonard were today named NBA Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week, respectively, for games played Monday, Dec. 14 through Sunday, Dec. 20.

Jackson led the Pistons to a 2-1 week, averaging 29.3 points (first in the conference), 6.3 rebounds and 7.7 assists (second in the conference). He scored 30 or more points in two of the three games and had 23 points in the third. On Dec. 18, Jackson scored 13 of Detroit’s 20 points in the fourth and final overtime period to lead the Pistons to a 147-144 win over the Chicago Bulls.

Leonard led San Antonio to a 3-0 record behind averages of 22.7 points (eighth in the conference), 6.3 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 2.0 steals. He shot 56.4 percent from the field and scored 22 or more points in two games. On Dec. 16, Leonard made four three-pointers on his way to 27 points and added four assists, four steals and three rebounds in a 114-95 victory over the Washington Wizards.

Other nominees for the Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week were Atlanta’s Paul Millsap, Cleveland’s LeBron James, Detroit’s Andre Drummond, Golden State’s Klay Thompson, Minnesota’s Andrew Wiggins, New York’s Carmelo Anthony, Orlando’s Nikola Vucevic and Toronto’s DeMar DeRozan.

Pistons recall Brandon Jennings from D-League

The Detroit Pistons announced today that the team has recalled Brandon Jennings, Reggie Bullock and Darrun Hilliard from the team’s NBA Development League (D-League) affiliate, the Grand Rapids Drive.

Jennings, seeing his first game action since suffering a ruptured left Achilles at Milwaukee on January 24, 2015, recorded 11 points (4-9 FG, 2-5 3FG), three rebounds, a game-high 12 assists and 27 minutes in a 130-104 Drive win over the Iowa Energy on 12/19.

Bullock, in his first D-League assignment as a Piston, scored a game-high 29 points on 10-12 field goals including going 6-8 from beyond the arc. He added five rebounds, five assists, four steals and one block in 36 minutes. Bullock has appeared in 14 games with the Pistons this season averaging 5.6 minutes a game.

Hilliard scored 23 points to go with two rebounds, three assists and one steal. He’s now scored 20-plus points in all three games with the Drive and is averaging 25.7 points, 3.7 rebounds and 2.7 assists while on assignment. Hilliard has appeared in seven games for the Pistons this season, averaging 3.0 points and 0.9 rebounds in 6.5 minutes per game.