DETROIT (AP) — Jalen Smith scored 11 of his 20 points in the fourth quarter and the Indiana Pacers beat Detroit 121-115 Saturday night, extending the Pistons’ losing streak to 11 games.
Isaiah Jackson added 19 points and 11 rebounds for Indiana (31-37), which improved to 5-2 in its last seven games.
Isaiah Livers had a career-high 18 points for Detroit (15-53), and Killian Hayes had 17 points and 13 assists.
The Pistons were missing five of their top six scorers; Hayes was the only one in the lineup. The Pacers played without Tyrese Haliburton, Bennedict Mathurin and Myles Turner.
The game was tied at 90 going into the fourth quarter, and the Pacers hit eight of their first 11 shots in the period to take a 114-103 lead
Detroit had its top three post players — Jalen Duren, James Wiseman and Marvin Bagley III — but were taken apart inside in the first half. The Pacers had 11 offensive rebounds to Detroit’s nine defensive rebounds, and finished with 38 points in the paint and 15 second-chance points.
Duren’s 14 points and nine rebounds kept the Pistons within 69-57, but his teammates managed only eight rebounds in the half.
Detroit, outscored Indiana 20-8 in the first four minutes of the second half to tie the game at 77. Hayes finished with nine assists and six points in the third.
TIPS IN
Pacers: Jackson, a Detroit native, was playing his first NBA game at home. … Smith had 11 points and four rebounds in the first five minutes of the fourth quarter before being replaced by Jackson.
Pistons: Duren played 14:18 in the first half, but had four of Detroit’s eight offensive rebounds and five of their nine defensive rebounds. … Bagley left the game after aggravating an ankle injury.
UP NEXT
The Pacers will remain in Detroit to complete a two-game set against the Pistons on Monday.
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