Detroit Pistons vs Indiana Pacers Box Score on Dec 15, 2017

The Sports Xchange
Dec 15, 2017

INDIANAPOLIS -- This time, the Detroit Pistons faltered down the stretch but avoided what would have been yet another disastrous collapse.

Center Andre Drummond scored 23 points and grabbed 13 rebounds as the Pistons held on for a 104-98 victory over the Indiana Pacers on Friday at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.

The Pacers (16-13) rallied from a 16-point deficit in the final quarter to get to within 100-98 in the final two minutes, but the Pistons (16-13) regrouped as Reggie Jackson hit two key free throws to make it 102-98 with 18.1 seconds remaining.

Drummond then blocked Victor Oladipo's step-back 3-point attempt on the next possession to seal the win.

The last time Detroit had visited this venue, head coach Stan Van Gundy's team blew a 22-point lead, including a 10-point margin entering the final quarter, in a 107-100 loss to the Pacers on Nov. 17.

Early on, the visitors led by as many as 14, but the Pacers went on an 11-0 run to take a 54-52 lead at the half.

The Pistons opened the second half with a 7-0 run in 1:12 to force a quick Pacers timeout. Detroit's lead was 12 by the end of the third, then Langston Galloway opened the fourth with a 3-pointer to make it 89-74. The margin reached 95-79 with 9:02 remaining before things got interesting, thanks in part to a 9-0 Pacers run.

Pistons forward Reggie Bullock scored a season-high 15 points.

Oladipo led Indiana with 26 points and eight rebounds. Pacers center Myles Turner had 24 points and eight rebounds.

The Pistons won their second straight road game on back-to-back nights after enduring a seven-game losing streak. The Pacers lost their second consecutive home game after a four-game winning streak.

NOTES: Pistons C Andre Drummond had his 20th double-double of the season. ... NBA Hall of Famer Arvydas Sabonis, father of Pacers F Domantas Sabonis, was in attendance to watch his son play. ... The Pistons defeated the Pacers for just the second time in 11 meetings and snapped a six-game losing streak at Indiana. ... Pistons rookie G Luke Kennard scored nine points in his first career NBA start as Avery Bradley rested with a hip injury. ... The Pacers concluded a six-game homestead that was the franchise's longest since a six-game stretch in 2007. ... Pacers C Myles Turner, the league leader in blocked shots (2.43 blocks per game), extended a streak of at least one blocked shot to 26 consecutive games, third-longest in team history. ... The Pistons have rallied to win from a 10-point deficit in seven games, which ties Boston for most in the league. The Pacers have overcome 10-point margins in four victories.