James Wiseman's big game in loss to Celtics gives Detroit Pistons a missing element
A severely depleted Detroit Pistons team hosted the NBA's best, and deepest, championship contender.
It went about as one would guess, as the Boston Celtics handed the Pistons their fifth straight loss, 129-102, on Friday.
The injury list for Detroit (12-58) has grown in recent weeks, and they were without six rotation players: Ausar Thompson (blood clot), Isaiah Stewart (right hamstring strain) and Stanley Umude (right ankle sprain) — all out for the season— as well as Jalen Duren (back spasms), Simone Fontecchio (left great toe contusion) and Taj Gibson (right hamstring soreness).
Boston was without Jayson Tatum, Jrue Holiday and Al Horford (Grand Ledge). It didn't matter, as four Celtics scored at least 19 points apiece. Jaylen Brown led the way with 33, and the Celtics shot 52.8% overall. James Wiseman (24 points, 11-for-13 shooting, nine rebounds) was a bright spot on a night not much went right.
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Detroit got off to a competitive start, but the Celtics turned a 43-43 tie with eight minutes left into the second quarter into an 18-point lead, 69-51, in just under seven minutes. A Payton Pritchard 3 off of a Cade Cunningham turnover capped a 26-8 run that clinched a Pistons loss. Detroit shot 29% from 3 and committed 18 turnovers.
Wiseman making a case for himself with strong play
Duren was unexpectedly added to the Pistons’ injury report minutes before tipoff, leaving Wiseman and Chimezie Metu (who signed a 10-day contract on Wednesday) as the lone centers on the roster. Wiseman, who is in the midst of his best stretch of basketball in Detroit, delivered one of his best games.
He was almost automatic from the floor and had perfect chemistry with Cunningham, who finished the opening period with eight points and four assists. Three of those assists were to Wiseman, who scored 12 in the first quarter to go with five rebounds. They were responsible for 22 of Detroit’s first 23 points, sparking an early 21-16 lead midway through the period.
Cunningham found Wiseman for a pair of alley-oop dunks for Detroit’s first two scores of the night, and the big man proceeded to knock down a pair of free throws before tipping in a missed deep 3-pointer from Cunningham. Wiseman returned the favor, nailing the angle on an entry pass to feed Cunningham for a turnaround midrange jumper.
A Cunningham steal and a Jaden Ivey fastbreak layup gave the Pistons a 15-12 advantage.
With a depleted rotation, the Pistons still managed to hang tough when Cunningham joined Wiseman on the bench with under three minutes left in the quarter. They led, 34-32, at the end of the first and were competitive until Boston’s game-clinching run midway through the second. Wiseman’s energetic play on both ends powered Detroit for 18 minutes, before the team appeared to collectively lose steam.
In March, Wiseman is averaging 8.3 points and seven rebounds on 59.4% overall shooting, in 17.8 minutes per game. He has been a reliable post scorer and rebounder and a legit presence at the rim on defense, giving the Pistons an element it has lacked. The big man has made the most of his increased role, as Duren has battled early foul trouble this month.
Wiseman has 12 games to play for his next contract as a restricted free agent this summer. Detroit has already committed to Stewart longterm, and Duren is being primed as the franchise's solution at center. With both players out on Friday, Wiseman made a case for himself, as well.
Contact Omari Sankofa II at osankofa@freepress.com. Follow him @omarisankofa.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: James Wiseman not enough for Detroit Pistons in 129-102 loss to Boston
