Philadelphia 76ers 112, Detroit Pistons 106: A 16-point cushion survives the fourth
Jaylen Brown scored 30 and Joel Embiid added 26 and 15 as the 76ers built a 91-75 lead after three and held off Detroit 112-106.
The 76ers won this game in the first three quarters and spent the fourth protecting it. Philadelphia led 91-75 going into the final period at Little Caesars Arena, gave back 10 of that 16-point margin, and still left with a 112-106 win over the Detroit Pistons.
It settles one score. Detroit handed Philadelphia its only loss of the season, 106-93 in Philadelphia. The 76ers have won five straight since and move to 8-1. Detroit falls to 6-2.
How it was won
Philadelphia set the terms early. A 29-21 first quarter and a 27-21 second put the 76ers up 56-42 at halftime. Detroit's largest lead of the night was 6, so the Pistons did get in front at some point, but they spent most of the night chasing.
The third quarter was the one that held up. Detroit scored 33, its best period to that point, and Philadelphia answered with 35. That kept the margin at 16 heading into the fourth, and the 76ers' largest lead reached 18.
The fourth belonged to Detroit, 31-21. Philadelphia's offense stalled, and the Pistons cut it to a two-possession game. The cushion was enough.
Jaylen Brown led everyone with 30 points and 7 rebounds, shooting 3 of 5 from three. Joel Embiid had 26 points and 15 rebounds, and Tyrese Maxey added 19 points and 7 assists, going 3 of 7 from deep.
The box score explains how Philadelphia won despite shooting slightly worse. Detroit hit 46 percent from the field to Philadelphia's 45, made 12 threes to 9, and outscored the 76ers 46-44 in the paint. Philadelphia made it up at the line and on the glass: 25 of 28 free throws against Detroit's 18 of 23, a seven-point edge, and a 48-41 rebounding advantage. The 76ers turned it over 14 times to Detroit's 12, so the extra possessions came from the boards.
Detroit's two leaders went in opposite directions from three. Duncan Robinson scored 27 on 7 of 11 from deep and kept the Pistons in range. Cade Cunningham had 26 points, 7 rebounds and 11 assists but went 1 of 9 from three. John Collins added 16. Detroit took 34 threes overall; Cunningham's misses were a large share of the 22 that did not fall.
Against the number
Detroit closed as a 2.5-point favorite, so the 76ers covered by winning outright. On the moneyline, Philadelphia closed at +120 and Detroit at -142, which made this an underdog win.
The total closed at 219.5 and the teams combined for 218, so the under held. It was closer than the first half suggested. Through three quarters the pace pointed under comfortably, then the fourth produced 52 points and brought the total within a point and a half.
The prices from close and the full market history are on the game page.
What's next
Philadelphia stays on the road and plays at the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday, November 6, on Prime Video. The 76ers beat Cleveland 114-106 at home earlier this season.
Detroit's next game was not listed at press time. The Pistons will carry a 6-2 record into it, and the question from tonight is whether Cunningham's shooting from three steadies alongside Robinson's.
