The Pistons kept making comebacks throughout the game Saturday, after falling behind by 15 in the first half.
The Indiana Pacers kept pushing but couldn’t pull away until the fourth quarter, when they had a decisive 12-0 run that turned the Pistons’ four-point lead into an eight-point deficit.
The Pacers held on and took a 115-109 victory on Saturday night at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.
It’s the fourth loss in the last five games for the Pistons (18-43), who gave up 22 points off their 18 turnovers. They had a couple of turnovers in the final stretch that proved costly.
Jerami Grant had 25 points, five rebounds and four assists, Mason Plumlee added 17 points, a career-best 21 rebounds and five assists. Josh Jackson and Cory Joseph added 12 points each.
The Pistons had a 101-97 lead with 4:54 remaining after a dunk by Isaiah Stewart (13 points and five rebounds). They went without a field goal for almost five minutes, and the Pacers answered with a big spurt.
Caris LeVert, who had 25 points and seven rebounds, scored a pair of baskets and Malcolm Brogdon (26 points and eight rebounds) added a 3-pointer and a drive, along with a 3-pointer by Edmond Sumner (22 points) to turn the tables and put the Pacers (28-31) ahead for keeps.
Grant and Josh Jackson each hit a pair of free throws to get the Pistons within four points, but the Pacers kept the pressure on with one of two free throws by LeVert and Brogdon. Grant made a 3-pointer with 13.9 seconds left to get within 113-109, but the Pistons didn’t get any closer.
