Suns at Pistons
The Detroit Pistons are beginning to pick up the types of wins that could potentially serve as a springboard for something greater and will try to carry the momentum over from the latest of those victories when they host the Phoenix Suns on Sunday. Detroit is 5-2 in its last seven games, a stretch that includes three road wins -- one at Eastern Conference-leading Toronto -- and an overtime triumph at home against a streaking Houston Rockets squad.
"It felt like a playoff game," center Andre Drummond told reporters Friday after the 116-111 win against the Rockets, who defeated the Pistons at home two nights earlier. "We didn't miss a beat. We took our mistakes from the game before and we didn't let it happen again." Drummond had 23 points and 20 rebounds in Friday's win and Blake Griffin added 28 to bump his team-leading average to 25.3. The Suns are usually just a stepping stone for teams on a roll like Detroit, but Phoenix picked up a surprising 116-114 win at Milwaukee on Friday behind Jamal Crawford's jumper with 0.8 seconds left. "We showed a lot of grit," Crawford told the media after the team's first road win. "Everybody was so tied together. Everybody was so engaged. We were saying the right things on the bench. This seems like the most gratifying win."
TV: 4 p.m. ET, FS Arizona Plus (Phoenix), FS Detroit
ABOUT THE SUNS (4-14): Devin Booker's development as a ball distributor continues to take shape while the 22-year-old star sacrifices little -- if anything -- from his scoring, finishing with 29 points and seven assists in the win over Milwaukee. T.J. Warren and rookie Deandre Ayton both shot 8-of-13 from the floor and Trevor Ariza posted his first double-double with the team by finishing with 13 points and 11 rebounds. "Positivity was there," Ayton said. "Togetherness was there. We got the job done. Great team win."
ABOUT THE PISTONS (9-7): Rookie Bruce Brown played a season-high 25 minutes and had a team-high plus-18 rating in Friday's win as he was utilized to help bottle up Rockets superstar James Harden, who shot 9-for-27. "It's a big challenge, but he's a great scorer," Brown told reporters. "Honestly, I didn't go into tonight expecting to touch the floor, but I knew the game plan and I knew his tendencies." Brown's defense allowed Griffin, Drummond and Reggie Jackson (19 of his 22 points in the fourth quarter and overtime) to operate more freely and Detroit's starters shot 51.7 percent.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Suns PF Richaun Holmes is 17-for-22 from the floor over a four-game span.
2. Jackson averages 18.1 points and 4.8 assists at home, compared to 12.9 and 3.3 on the road.
3. Phoenix leads the all-time series 67-66.