Detroit Pistons suffer blowout loss to the Portland Trailblazers
The Detroit Pistons (2-6) were soundly defeated 100-78 by the Portland Trailblazers (6-3) on Tuesday 9 November at the Rose Garden in Portland.
Power forward LaMarcus Aldridge had a huge double-double for the Blazers, scoring 19 points and pulling down a game-high 17 rebounds. Nicolas Batum shot 7-11 from the field on his way
to 17 points while Rudy Fernandez went 3-5 from three-point range, scoring 13 points off the bench. Brandon Roy, averaging just under 40 minutes per game this season, played only 21 minutes last night and scored 11 points. Dante Cunningham chipped in with
10 points off the bench.
Point guard Rodney Stuckey led Detroit with 17 points while Austin Daye, who was 3-3 from three-point range, finished with 15 points and eight rebounds. Tayshaun Prince chipped in with
10 points while Charlie Villanueva had eight points off the bench. The Pistons are now 0-4 in road games this year.
After outscoring the Pistons 36-25 in the first quarter, the Blazers hit a lull, allowing Detroit to get within one point after a made shot by Prince. But Portland went on a run to end
the first half, entering the break up 53-45.
But the Pistons didn’t come out with a lot of energy to open up the second half, falling behind 66-52 after a dunk by Batum and a three-pointer by Roy. To cap it off, the Blazers outscored
the visiting team 26-15 in the final frame for the blowout victory.
The Pistons could never find their shooting touch in this one, shooting only 43 per cent from the field, 35 per cent from three-point range, and connecting on only 56 per cent from the
free-throw line. Meanwhile, the Blazers were significantly better in all three statistical categories, shooting 50 per cent from the field, 43 per cent from three-point range, and 88 per cent from the line.
What they said
Roy, who underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right knee late last season, said before the game that he may need to play less minutes. Blazers’ fans got a scare when their leading scorer
left the game early to have his knee iced on the bench. While he looked fine when he checked back in, he managed only 21 minutes.
"I'm good," he said. "I'm playing. I'm just looking to get those minutes down and keep my legs fresh for the rest of the season."
"I want to be a better Brandon Roy in February, rather than just holding on," added the three-time All-Star.
Blazers coach Nate McMillan said Roy could have played more but he liked the unit he had on the floor.
"We felt like we had the game under control so we didn't bring him [Roy] back in the second half," he said. "Rudy was playing good basketball, and we just decided to keep him on the bench
for the rest of the game. He could have come back."
Meanwhile, the Pistons, yet to win a road game this season, are frustrated with their 2-6 start to the season.
"When you're on the road, mental toughness is paramount,” said Detroit coach John Keuster. "The energy was not what it needs to be to win on the road."
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