What started as a competitive night quickly turned into a battle Memphis could not win inside. The Detroit Pistons overwhelmed the Grizzlies in the paint and pulled away for a 126-110 victory at Little Caesars Arena Friday night, handing Memphis its seventh consecutive loss.
Detroit established the tone early and never allowed Memphis to change it. The Pistons piled up 74 points in the paint, shot 54.3 percent from the field, and repeatedly converted defensive stops into transition opportunities. Memphis finished the night shooting 42.7 percent and struggled throughout to slow Detroit’s size around the rim.
Head coach Tuomas Iisalo pointed directly to the interior battle afterward.
“We struggled with their size and physicality the whole night,” Iisalo said. “Seventy-four points in the paint pretty much tells the story.”
Memphis showed signs of momentum early in the third quarter. The Grizzlies opened the half with a 7-0 run, cutting Detroit’s lead to 75-72 and briefly shifting the energy of the game. Detroit’s response quickly erased that surge.
The Pistons answered with a decisive 21-7 run, stretching the lead to 96-79 and restoring control. Memphis never brought the deficit back to single digits the rest of the way, as Detroit eventually pushed the margin to 22 points.
Despite the loss, several Grizzlies delivered productive offensive performances.
Javon Small led Memphis with a career-high 23 points, adding three rebounds, three assists, and two steals. Over his last four games, Small has averaged 18.3 points, the most productive stretch of his young NBA career.
Ty Jerome added 21 points while tying his career high with eight assists, extending his streak to 11 consecutive games in double figures. Jerome has now scored 20 or more points in four of his last five outings.
Cam Spencer finished with 19 points and five assists, continuing to provide perimeter scoring for Memphis. Spencer also knocked down two three-pointers and has now connected on at least one three in 10 consecutive games.
But Detroit’s frontcourt ultimately dictated the outcome. Jalen Duren powered the Pistons with 30 points and 13 rebounds, while Cade Cunningham controlled the game with 17 points, 15 assists, eight rebounds, and three steals.
Detroit also controlled the effort categories that often decide games. The Pistons held advantages in fast-break points (24-8), points off turnovers (23-10), and offensive rebounds (19-13). Memphis finished with 33 rebounds and recorded just two blocks.
The Pistons’ ball movement further separated the teams, producing 36 assists as Detroit consistently found cutters and open shooters against the Memphis defense.
For Memphis, the challenge now is stopping the slide before it deepens further. Seven straight losses have tested the team’s resilience, and the Grizzlies continue searching for the defensive consistency and interior presence that have been missing during this stretch. Their next chance to change the narrative comes March 16th on the road against the Chicago Bulls, with tip-off scheduled for 7 p.m..