Wizards Pull Off Upset Against Pistons Despite Depleted Roster

The Washington Wizards pulled off one of the evening’s biggest surprises by winning 126-117 on the road against the Detroit Pistons, the Eastern Conference leaders. The performance was all the more remarkable as the Wizards had only 10 available players, the day after a trade with the Dallas Mavericks.

Will Riley led the offense with 20 points, well supported by Sharife Cooper and his 18 points. The point guard, playing on a two-way contract, perfectly seized his opportunity in this game where the reserves shined by scoring 69 points collectively.

Washington’s Bench Decisive Against Struggling Pistons

Justin Champagnie and Tristan Vukcevic also contributed 14 points each, allowing the Wizards to secure their fourth win in six games after a nine-game losing streak. This performance brings Washington’s record to 14 wins and 36 losses.

For the Pistons, Cade Cunningham delivered a remarkable individual performance with 30 points, 8 rebounds and 8 assists, but couldn’t prevent his team’s loss. Detroit particularly struggled from 3-point range, converting only 9 of 33 attempts (27.3%). The knee injury to Jalen Duren, who was forced to leave his teammates after just 13 minutes of play, also weighed heavily.

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Down 17 points in the third quarter, the Pistons attempted a comeback late in the game. Duncan Robinson brought his team within 112-107 with a 3-pointer and foul with 4 minutes remaining. But Bilal Coulibaly responded by hitting a 3-pointer at the shot clock buzzer (117-110), definitively sealing the game’s outcome. This loss brings Detroit’s record to 37 wins and 13 losses.

The Wizards will travel to Brooklyn on Saturday, while the Pistons will host the New York Knicks on Friday night to try to bounce back quickly.