Battle of the Boards: New Orleans Pelicans Facing off Against Detroit Pistons

Detroit Pistons’ four-game winning streak was broken by Atlanta Hawks, who have been on a winning streak themselves. The Pistons are now gearing up to start a fresh streak as they face the struggling New Orleans Pelicans.

In a nail-biting 130-129 overtime loss to the Hawks, Tobias Harris and Jalen Duren missed crucial shots in the final moments that could have saved the streak. This defeat came amidst the absence of their star guard Cade Cunningham, who will sit out his fifth consecutive game on Thursday due to a collapsed lung diagnosis.

Despite falling behind by 21 points in the first half, Detroit staged an impressive comeback by opening the second half with a 16-0 run. Coach J.B. Bickerstaff acknowledged the team’s resilience and effort while emphasizing the need to avoid falling into such deficits.

Duren, a standout performer alongside Cunningham, led the Pistons with 26 points and 14 rebounds in the loss to the Hawks. Teammate Ausar Thompson praised Duren’s all-around contributions on both ends of the floor.

Detroit will wrap up their homestand against New Orleans, looking to maintain their lead in the Eastern Conference race, with top seed aspirations. The Pistons face a challenging road stretch following the Pelicans matchup, with six of their last nine regular-season games to be played away from home.

On the other side, the Pelicans have endured back-to-back losses against Eastern Conference rivals despite strong performances from Zion Williamson. The talented forward, shooting an impressive 67.7% from the field this month, has been a consistent scoring threat for New Orleans.

Interim head coach James Borrego praised Williamson’s impact and physicality in recent games, while also noting Dejounte Murray’s playmaking abilities despite a low-scoring output in their latest outing. The Pelicans are striving to regain momentum after a recent string of victories and improve their road record, as they aim to shore up their defense away from home.

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Article written on 26/03/2026 09:35. Source: NBA.com

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