Detroit, MI— Buddy Hield scored 19 points, leading the Golden State Warriors to a 107-104 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Thursday night.
The win came as a much-needed boost for Golden State, who had suffered two consecutive home losses, including a 16-point defeat to Miami and a 30-point blowout by Sacramento. Despite the tight contest, the Warriors managed to hold on after building an 18-point lead. Malik Beasley’s 3-point attempt at the buzzer, which could have forced overtime, missed the mark.
Detroit’s Cade Cunningham put on a spectacular performance with 32 points, eight assists, and six rebounds, while Beasley added 21 points, though he struggled from beyond the arc, hitting only four of his 14 3-point attempts. The Pistons, who had been riding a five-game win streak and had won eight of their last nine games, dropped to a .500 record with the loss.
Warriors coach Steve Kerr, dealing with personal challenges after his 90-year-old mother lost her home in the California wildfires, had criticized his team’s competitive spirit earlier in the week. However, he was pleased with their response in Detroit, as Golden State led after every quarter and executed crucial plays on both ends of the floor. Despite a rough stretch where the Warriors lost 15 of their previous 21 games, they managed to maintain composure.
Golden State’s performance was particularly impressive given that star guard Stephen Curry struggled with his shooting, finishing with just 17 points on 5-of-21 shooting. With Andrew Wiggins absent for personal reasons, several teammates stepped up to help secure the win. Trayce Jackson-Davis contributed a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds, Dennis Schroder and Gui Santos each scored 13 points, and Lindy Waters added 11 points.
For the Pistons, Tobias Harris chipped in 13 points, and Ron Holland scored 11 as the team tried to compensate for the absence of Jaden Ivey, who is sidelined with a broken leg.
A defining moment came midway through the fourth quarter when Draymond Green, after exchanging words with Holland, dunked, drew a charge against the rookie, and then assisted Hield for a 3-pointer that put the Warriors up 92-78.
In terms of key stats, Curry’s shooting struggles stood out, as he finished the game making just 5 of 21 shots, including a rough 2-of-14 from 3-point range.
Looking ahead, Golden State will face the Indiana Pacers on Friday night, while the Pistons will host the Toronto Raptors on Saturday.
