DETROIT _ With an early afternoon tipoff, the Pistons looked to walking in quicksand for the first couple of minutes against the Denver Nuggets on Sunday. They couldn't get a defensive stop and the shorthanded Nuggets started 10-of-11 from the field.
The young core entered in the second quarter and pushed the pace, helping the Pistons erase the deficit. The Pistons held the lead for the remainder of regulation and took a thrilling 128-123 overtime win over the Nuggets at Little Caesars Arena.
Andre Drummond was a catalyst in the fourth quarter, with 12 of his 21 points, along with 17 rebounds and four assists, and Reggie Jackson carried them with the tying shot with 1:18 left in regulation and two big baskets in overtime.
Rookie Sekou Doumbouya led the youth charge with all 17 of his points in the first half, after missing the last game. Jackson finished with 20 points and six assists and Bruce Brown 19 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists.
The Pistons (18-33) had a 109-105 lead with 4:17 left in regulation, after Drummond scored on a hook, his third straight basket, giving him 10 of the Pistons' previous 13 points during the string. Nikola Jokic (39 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists) answered with a drive and a baseline jumper to get the Nuggets (34-16) tied and they took the lead when Will Barton (20 points, nine rebounds and five assists) added a pair of free throws to make it 111-109, before Jacksons tying lay-in at the 1:18 mark.
The Pistons had a chance to win it in the final seconds, but Jackson missed a runner in the lane.
In overtime, Drummond gave the Pistons the lead on a dunk but fouled out. Brown hit a 3-pointer, off an assist from Jackson, starting a 9-2 run, with a jumper from Thon Maker and a leaner from Jackson. Jackson hit another bank shot with 1:11 remaining for a 122-115 lead and the Pistons held on with free throws.
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