INDIANAPOLIS � The Detroit Pistons received troubling news Tuesday afternoon.
It didn't faze them Wednesday night in the season opener, thanks to Andre Drummond, Luke Kennard and Derrick Rose.
Trying to make a case for a maximum contract, Drummond turned in a dominant performance with 32 points, 23 rebounds, three steals and four blocked shots in leading the Pistons to a 119-110 victory over the Indiana Pacers at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.
Playing 40 minutes, Drummond bested Pacers center Myles Turner (25 points, nine rebounds) as the Pistons now head into Thursday night's home opener against the Atlanta Hawks with momentum.
The monster evening came one day after the Pistons announced All-Star Blake Griffin will miss the start of the season.
But with Kennard and Rose combining for 48 points off the bench, the Pistons were able to pull away in the fourth quarter.
Kennard scored a career-high 30 points and his 3-pointer with 1:24 remaining gave the Pistons a 113-103 lead and sent the fans to the exits.
Kennard was 6-for-9 from 3-point range as the Pistons were 11-for-24 from deep.
Rose, in his first game with the Pistons, scored 18 points and handed out nine assists.
Domantas Sabonis finished with 27 points and 13 rebounds for the Pacers.
The Pistons announced Tuesday afternoon Griffin will miss at least the first five games of the regular season, which included the season opener, because of hamstring and posterior soreness in his left knee.
