Pistons turn back pesky Suns, 108-105
Duncan Robinson led a balanced effort with 19 points and Jalen Duren had 16 points and 18 rebounds as the host Detroit Pistons pulled out a 108-105 win over the Phoenix Suns on Thursday night.
Tobias Harris supplied 16 points, seven rebounds and five steals, while Jaden Ivey scored 15 points off the bench in Detroit's fourth win in five games. Ron Holland had 11 points and nine rebounds.
Star guard Cade Cunningham, who missed the previous two games with a wrist injury, was held to 10 points on 3-for-16 shooting.
Grayson Allen carried the Suns with 33 points. Collin Gillespie had 18 points and six assists and Dillon Brooks added 16 points.
Suns star guard Devin Booker missed the game due to a left ankle sprain.
The Suns were clinging to a 90-89 lead after three quarters.
After Phoenix scored the first four points of the quarter, the Pistons reeled off a 13-2 run. Duren had a pair of inside baskets during that stretch and Harris hit a pair of a midrange jumpers.
The Suns pulled within two points before Cunningham made a jump hook for a 104-100 lead. Allen scored from short range to make it 105-102 but the Suns missed their next three shots. Holland split free throws with 13.2 seconds to give Detroit a 107-102 lead.
Allen made another 3-pointer with 3.1 seconds left, but Robinson made one free throw and Allen missed a 3-point try at the buzzer.
A chippy first half featured three technicals and two flagrant fouls. The Suns emerged from the scrum with a 63-56 halftime advantage.
The Suns led by as many as 16 points in the second quarter. Detroit pulled within four points before Allen, who had 21 first-half points, hit two 3-pointers to give his club some breathing room.
Detroit continued to chip away in the third quarter and took the lead at 75-74 on a Duren layup. The Pistons nudged the lead to five but Phoenix made it a tug-of-war at the end of the quarter, with Gillespie contributing a runner and a 33-foot triple.