Game ID: 22301027
New Orleans Pelicans @ Detroit Pistons
Sunday, March 24, 2024 at 3:00 PM ET
Little Caesars Arena, Detroit, MI
Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Final
DET 10 31 25 35 101NOP 29 28 26 31 114
DET vs NOP ScoutingDET vs NOP Scouting
Welcome to the scouting desk. The coffee is cold, the film is play-by-play, and somebody has to explain what happened.
Every game has a hinge — a stretch where it was decided, usually while everyone was watching something else. Start where the evidence lives: the Lineups' face-offs say which five actually won their minutes; the Possessions ledger says who ran ahead of the night's own pace; the Shot Chart says where the points really came from, which is rarely where the highlights were. When all three agree, that is the story. When they don't — that is why this desk has a chair.
DET availability going into 3/17 · 1 day's restOUT Brown Jr. missed 3 since 3/11, out tonight
OUT Rhoden missed 15 since 2/10, out tonight
BACK Evbuomwan back 3/15 after 8, 1 min since (5% of 22)
BACK Grimes back 3/11 after 4, 18 min since (95% of 19)
BACK Flynn back 3/07 after 2, 3 min since (18% of 14)
BACK Umude back 3/09 after 10, 11 min since (83% of 13)
NEW Ivey 29 to 37 min over the last 5
DET availability going into 3/18 · back-to-backOUT Brown Jr. missed 4 since 3/11, returns tonight: 8 min (41% of 19)
OUT Rhoden missed 16 since 2/10, out tonight
BACK Evbuomwan back 3/15 after 8, 1 min since (5% of 22)
BACK Grimes back 3/11 after 4, 18 min since (95% of 19)
BACK Flynn back 3/15 after 2, 1 min since (8% of 14)
BACK Umude back 3/09 after 10, 12 min since (96% of 13)
NEW Fontecchio 30 to 35 min over the last 5
DET availability going into 3/20 · 1 day's restOUT Rhoden missed 17 since 2/10, out tonight
BACK Evbuomwan back 3/15 after 8, 9 min since (42% of 22)
BACK Grimes back 3/11 after 4, 18 min since (95% of 19)
BACK Brown Jr. back 3/18 after 4, 8 min since (41% of 19)
BACK Flynn back 3/15 after 2, 10 min since (68% of 14)
NEW Fontecchio 30 to 36 min over the last 4
DET availability going into 3/22 · 1 day's restOUT Rhoden missed 18 since 2/10, returns tonight: 17 min (120% of 14)
BACK Evbuomwan back 3/15 after 8, 16 min since (72% of 22)
BACK Brown Jr. back 3/18 after 4, 11 min since (59% of 19)
BACK Flynn back 3/15 after 2, 8 min since (53% of 14)
NEW Fontecchio 30 to 36 min over the last 3
NEW Umude 13 to 20 min over the last 5
DET availability going into 3/24 · 1 day's restBACK Evbuomwan back 3/15 after 8, 20 min since (88% of 22)
BACK Brown Jr. back 3/18 after 4, 14 min since (76% of 19)
BACK Rhoden back 3/22 after 18, 17 min since (120% of 14)
BACK Flynn back 3/15 after 2, 8 min since (53% of 14)
NEW Sasser 19 to 25 min over the last 5
NEW Fournier 19 to 24 min over the last 5
NEW Umude 13 to 21 min over the last 4
DET availability going into 3/25 · back-to-backOUT Duren missed 2 since 3/22, out tonight
OUT Umude missed 2 since 3/22, out tonight
BACK Brown Jr. back 3/18 after 4, 16 min since (84% of 19)
BACK Rhoden back 3/22 after 18, 15 min since (102% of 14)
NEW Sasser 19 to 26 min over the last 5
NEW Wiseman 17 to 25 min over the last 5
DET availability going into 3/27 · 1 day's restOUT Cunningham missed 2 since 3/24, returns tonight: 29 min (86% of 34)
OUT Duren missed 3 since 3/22, returns tonight: 25 min (87% of 29)
OUT Umude missed 3 since 3/22, out tonight
BACK Brown Jr. back 3/18 after 4, 18 min since (93% of 19)
BACK Rhoden back 3/22 after 18, 18 min since (126% of 14)
NEW Sasser 19 to 29 min over the last 5
NEW Wiseman 17 to 28 min over the last 5
DET availability going into 3/29 · 1 day's restOUT Umude missed 4 since 3/22, out tonight
BACK Cunningham back 3/27 after 2, 29 min since (86% of 34)
BACK Duren back 3/27 after 3, 25 min since (87% of 29)
BACK Rhoden back 3/22 after 18, 14 min since (98% of 14)
NEW Sasser 19 to 29 min over the last 5
NEW Wiseman 17 to 27 min over the last 5
NEW Flynn 14 to 19 min over the last 4
DET availability going into 4/01 · 2 days' restOUT Umude missed 5 since 3/22, out tonight
BACK Cunningham back 3/27 after 2, 33 min since (98% of 34)
BACK Duren back 3/27 after 3, 30 min since (103% of 29)
BACK Rhoden back 3/22 after 18, 14 min since (98% of 14)
NEW Sasser 19 to 31 min over the last 4
NEW Wiseman 17 to 26 min over the last 5
NEW Flynn 14 to 22 min over the last 4
NOP availability going into 3/16 · back-to-backOUT Daniels missed 14 since 2/10, out tonight
BACK Hawkins back 3/13 after 2, 5 min since (28% of 17)
BACK Ryan back 3/13 after 2, 5 min since (34% of 14)
NOP availability going into 3/19 · 2 days' restOUT Daniels missed 15 since 2/10, out tonight
OUT Ryan missed 2 since 3/15, out tonight
BACK Hawkins back 3/13 after 2, 5 min since (30% of 17)
NEW Nance Jr. 20 to 25 min over the last 4
NOP availability going into 3/21 · 1 day's restOUT Daniels missed 16 since 2/10, out tonight
OUT Ryan missed 3 since 3/15, returns tonight: 6 min (42% of 14)
BACK Hawkins back 3/13 after 2, 5 min since (30% of 17)
NEW Nance Jr. 20 to 25 min over the last 4
NOP availability going into 3/22 · back-to-backOUT Daniels missed 17 since 2/10, out tonight
BACK Hawkins back 3/13 after 2, 5 min since (32% of 17)
BACK Ryan back 3/13 after 2, 5 min since (38% of 14)
NOP availability going into 3/24 · 1 day's restOUT Daniels missed 18 since 2/10, out tonight
BACK Ryan back 3/21 after 3, 4 min since (33% of 14)
NOP availability going into 3/26 · 1 day's restOUT Ingram missed 2 since 3/22, out tonight
OUT Daniels missed 19 since 2/10, out tonight
BACK Ryan back 3/21 after 3, 4 min since (33% of 14)
NEW Alvarado 18 to 24 min over the last 5
NOP availability going into 3/28 · 1 day's restOUT Ingram missed 3 since 3/22, out tonight
OUT Daniels missed 20 since 2/10, out tonight
OUT Ryan missed 2 since 3/24, returns tonight: 5 min (40% of 14)
NEW Nance Jr. 20 to 26 min over the last 5
NOP availability going into 3/30 · 1 day's restOUT Ingram missed 4 since 3/22, out tonight
OUT Daniels missed 21 since 2/10, returns tonight: 11 min (50% of 22)
BACK Ryan back 3/21 after 3, 5 min since (35% of 14)
NEW Nance Jr. 20 to 25 min over the last 5
NOP availability going into 4/01 · 1 day's restOUT Ingram missed 5 since 3/22, out tonight
OUT Alvarado missed 2 since 3/28, out tonight
BACK Daniels back 3/30 after 21, 11 min since (50% of 22)
BACK Ryan back 3/28 after 2, 6 min since (46% of 14)
NEW Jones 31 to 36 min over the last 5
NEW Murphy III 30 to 36 min over the last 5
NEW Nance Jr. 20 to 26 min over the last 5
I Know — the desk, before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Detroit comes in 0-5 over its last five, scoring 99 a night and allowing 116, shooting 45 percent and 30 from three, 17 free throws a game; Cunningham at 16 and Ivey at 15 a game. That is 5 straight losses. One day's rest. New Orleans comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 112 a night and allowing 102, shooting 52 percent and 38 from three, 15 free throws a game; Williamson at 22 and McCollum at 21 a game. It has won the glass by 5 a night. Without Daniels (18 straight). One day's rest.
So: New Orleans wins, on the road, and the game turns on the defense, New Orleans allowing 102 a night to Detroit's 116 and the arc, New Orleans at 38 percent from three to Detroit's 30. Call it New Orleans 115, Detroit 107.
3/17 vs MIA 101-104 — DET notes
DET lost 101-104. DET shot 46% (38 of 83) to MIA's 45%, 14 of 36 from three. Fournier led with 18 (6 of 14, 4 of 8 from three); Cunningham added 17, Fontecchio 13. Q3 was theirs, 26-19, the deficit cut from 10 to 3, but the other 3 periods went 85-75 against them. Stewart's -24 in 36 minutes was the worst on the floor.
3/18 @ BOS 94-119 — DET notes
DET lost 94-119. DET shot 43% (36 of 84) to BOS's 45%, 9 of 29 from three. The glass went 43-53 against them. Ivey led with 21 (10 of 19, 1 of 4 from three); Wiseman added 12, Flynn 11. Q4 was theirs, 28-27, the deficit cut from 26 to 25, but the other 3 periods went 92-66 against them. Flynn's -23 in 18 minutes was the worst on the floor.
3/20 vs IND 103-122 — DET notes
DET lost 103-122. DET shot 41% (37 of 90) to IND's 57%, 5 of 23 from three, and went to the line 30 times to IND's 18 — 24 points from the stripe to their 11. Cunningham led with 23 (9 of 22, 5 of 6 at the line); Ivey added 15, Evbuomwan 11. Q4 was theirs, 25-24, the deficit cut from 20 to 19, but the other 3 periods went 98-78 against them. Umude's -27 in 22 minutes was the worst on the floor.
3/22 vs BOS 102-129 — DET notes
DET lost 102-129. DET shot 51% (42 of 83) to BOS's 53%, 9 of 31 from three, and got to the line 13 times to BOS's 27. DET turned it over 18 times to BOS's 7, and BOS turned those into 9 steals. Wiseman led with 24 (11 of 13); Ivey added 16, Cunningham 15. Q1 was theirs, 34-32, but the other 3 periods went 97-68 against them. Cunningham's -27 in 29 minutes was the worst on the floor.
3/24 vs NOP 101-114 — DET notes
DET lost 101-114. DET shot 41% (32 of 79) to NOP's 51%, 11 of 41 from three. DET turned it over 16 times to NOP's 10, and NOP turned those into 8 steals. Metu led with 17 (5 of 8, 7 of 8 at the line); Flynn added 17, Ivey 16. Q4 was theirs, 35-31, the deficit cut from 17 to 13, but the other 3 periods went 83-66 against them. Ivey's -15 in 29 minutes was the worst on the floor.
3/25 @ NYK — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
New York comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 105 a night and allowing 100, shooting 45 percent and 32 from three, 18 free throws a game; Brunson at 33 and DiVincenzo at 17 a game. Without Anunoby (3 straight), Robinson (49 straight). One day's rest. Detroit comes in 0-5 over its last five, scoring 100 a night and allowing 118, shooting 44 percent and 30 from three, 21 free throws a game; Cunningham at 18 and Ivey at 16 a game. That is 5 straight losses. Without Duren (2 straight). Second night of a back-to-back.
So: New York wins, and the game turns on the defense, New York allowing 100 a night to Detroit's 118 and the turnovers, Detroit giving it away 15 times a game to New York's 11. Call it New York 116, Detroit 103, New York by 13.
3/27 @ MIN — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Minnesota comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 113 a night and allowing 104, shooting 48 percent and 45 from three, 17 free throws a game; Edwards at 26 and Reid at 19 a game. It has lost the glass by 5 a night. Without Towns (9 straight). 2 days' rest. Detroit comes in 0-5 over its last five, scoring 100 a night and allowing 122, shooting 43 percent and 28 from three, 22 free throws a game; Ivey at 15 and Wiseman at 15 a game. That is 5 straight losses. Without Cunningham (2 straight), Duren (3 straight). One day's rest.
So: Minnesota wins, and the game turns on the arc, Minnesota at 45 percent from three to Detroit's 28 and the defense, Minnesota allowing 104 a night to Detroit's 122. Call it Minnesota 118, Detroit 104, Minnesota by 14.
3/29 @ WAS — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Washington comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 112 a night and allowing 115, shooting 46 percent and 35 from three, 19 free throws a game; Kuzma at 24 and Poole at 21 a game. It has won the glass by 5 a night. Without Jones (7 straight). One day's rest. Detroit comes in 0-5 over its last five, scoring 99 a night and allowing 119, shooting 42 percent and 27 from three, 24 free throws a game; Cunningham at 23 and Wiseman at 14 a game. That is 5 straight losses. One day's rest.
So: Washington wins, and the game turns on the arc, Washington at 35 percent from three to Detroit's 27 and the line, where Detroit takes 24 free throws a game to Washington's 19. Call it Washington 117, Detroit 111.
4/01 vs MEM — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Detroit comes in 1-4 over its last five, scoring 98 a night and allowing 112, shooting 42 percent and 28 from three, 22 free throws a game; Cunningham at 27 and Ivey at 14 a game. 2 days' rest. Memphis comes in 1-4 over its last five, scoring 106 a night and allowing 123, shooting 42 percent and 34 from three, 22 free throws a game; Jackson Jr. at 18 and Jackson at 17 a game. That is 3 straight losses. It has lost the glass by 4 a night. Without Williams Jr. (10 straight), Jemison III (2 straight), Williams (13 straight). One day's rest.
So: Detroit wins, and the game turns on the defense, Detroit allowing 112 a night to Memphis's 123 and the arc, Memphis at 34 percent from three to Detroit's 28. Call it Detroit 112, Memphis 110, Memphis keeping it close.
3/16 vs POR 126-107 — NOP notes
NOP won 126-107. NOP shot 54% (52 of 97) to POR's 50%, 13 of 33 from three. NOP turned it over 9 times to POR's 19. McCollum led with 30 (12 of 20, 6 of 12 from three); Williamson added 26, Ingram 22. The hinge was Q4, 24-15: a lead of 10 became 19. Alvarado was the night's best plus/minus at +23.
3/19 @ BKN 104-91 — NOP notes
NOP won 104-91. NOP shot 51% (42 of 83) to BKN's 37%, 10 of 34 from three, and got to the line 13 times to BKN's 22. Williamson led with 28 (11 of 16, 6 of 6 at the line); McCollum added 16, Nance Jr. 13. The hinge was Q2, 37-24: a lead of 6 became 19, and the lead reached 24. McCollum was the night's best plus/minus at +20.
3/21 @ ORL 106-121 — NOP notes
NOP lost 106-121. NOP shot 54% (42 of 78) to ORL's 55%, 6 of 20 from three. Murphy III led with 21 (6 of 10, 3 of 5 from three, 6 of 7 at the line); Williamson added 20, McCollum 18. Q1 was theirs, 28-23, but the other 3 periods went 98-78 against them. They led by as many as 12. Nance Jr.'s -24 in 18 minutes was the worst on the floor.
3/22 @ MIA 111-88 — NOP notes
NOP won 111-88. NOP shot 51% (42 of 82) to MIA's 36%, 18 of 36 from three. NOP turned it over 12 times to MIA's 4. The glass went 56-34 for them. McCollum led with 30 (12 of 21, 6 of 12 from three); Alvarado added 17, Murphy III 14. The hinge was Q4, 35-22: a lead of 10 became 23, and the lead reached 26. Alvarado was the night's best plus/minus at +27.
3/24 @ DET 114-101 — NOP notes
NOP won 114-101. NOP shot 51% (41 of 81) to DET's 41%, 11 of 34 from three. NOP turned it over 10 times to DET's 16. Williamson led with 36 (13 of 14, 10 of 14 at the line); McCollum added 23, Marshall 14. The hinge was Q1, 29-10: from level to 19 ahead, and the lead reached 22. Williamson was the night's best plus/minus at +18.
3/26 vs OKC — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
New Orleans comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 112 a night and allowing 102, shooting 52 percent and 37 from three, 17 free throws a game; McCollum at 23 and Williamson at 23 a game. Without Ingram (2 straight), Daniels (19 straight). One day's rest. OKC comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 116 a night and allowing 112, shooting 48 percent and 33 from three, 23 free throws a game; Gilgeous-Alexander at 23 and Jal. Williams at 21 a game. One day's rest.
So: New Orleans wins, and the game turns on the defense, New Orleans allowing 102 a night to OKC's 112 and the glass, where New Orleans has been plus-4 a night and OKC minus-2. Call it New Orleans 114, OKC 111, OKC keeping it close.
3/28 vs MIL — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
New Orleans comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 109 a night and allowing 104, shooting 50 percent and 36 from three, 20 free throws a game; Williamson at 23 and McCollum at 22 a game. Without Ingram (3 straight), Daniels (20 straight). One day's rest. Milwaukee comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 123 a night and allowing 116, shooting 49 percent and 41 from three, 15 free throws a game; Antetokounmpo at 27 and Lillard at 26 a game. One day's rest.
So: New Orleans wins, and the game turns on the defense, New Orleans allowing 104 a night to Milwaukee's 116 and the arc, Milwaukee at 41 percent from three to New Orleans's 36. Call it New Orleans 116, Milwaukee 113, Milwaukee keeping it close.
3/30 vs BOS — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
New Orleans comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 110 a night and allowing 106, shooting 48 percent and 36 from three, 24 free throws a game; McCollum at 24 and Williamson at 23 a game. Without Ingram (4 straight), Daniels (21 straight). One day's rest. Boston comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 123 a night and allowing 115, shooting 50 percent and 39 from three, 23 free throws a game; Tatum at 31 and Brown at 24 a game. One day's rest.
So: New Orleans wins, and the game turns on the defense, New Orleans allowing 106 a night to Boston's 115. Call it New Orleans 115, Boston 114, Boston keeping it close.
4/01 vs PHX — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
New Orleans comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 107 a night and allowing 102, shooting 45 percent and 37 from three, 24 free throws a game; McCollum at 25 and Williamson at 24 a game. Without Ingram (5 straight), Alvarado (2 straight). One day's rest. Phoenix comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 114 a night and allowing 110, shooting 52 percent and 43 from three, 15 free throws a game; Booker at 26 and Durant at 26 a game. It has won the glass by 6 a night. 2 days' rest.
So: New Orleans wins, and the game turns on the line, where New Orleans takes 24 free throws a game to Phoenix's 15 and the arc, Phoenix at 43 percent from three to New Orleans's 37. Call it New Orleans 113, Phoenix 109, Phoenix keeping it close.
Who is who
the initials in the Players column
DETBB B. Boeheim
CM C. Metu
EF E. Fournier
JI J. Ivey
JR J. Rhoden
JW J. Wiseman
MF M. Flynn
MS M. Sasser
TB T. Brown Jr.
TE T. Evbuomwan
NOPCM C. McCollum
HJ H. Jones
JA J. Alvarado
JH J. Hawkins
JR J. Robinson-Earl
JV J. Valančiūnas
LN L. Nance Jr.
NM N. Marshall
TM T. Murphy III
ZW Z. Williamson
DET/NOP the team itself, not a player
-- the feed named nobody
What
What happened
the codes in the Events column
M2 / M3 made 2 / made 3
X2 / X3 missed 2 / missed 3
FT / X1 free throw made / missed
AST assist
OR / DR offensive / defensive rebound
STL steal
BLK block
TO turnover
FL foul
OF offensive foul — ends the possession
VIOL violation
JUMP jump ball
TM timeout
IR instant replay
HE heave at the buzzer, filed to the team
END the clock ran out, ball in hand
Where
Where a shot came from
the middle field of M3.LW.25
RM at the rim inside 4 ft
RC right corner
RW right wing
SO straight on
LW left wing
LC left corner
M3.LW.25 made 3, left wing, 25 ft
X2.RM.01 missed 2, at the rim, 1 ft
When
When it happened
the Offset column
one number per event, in the Events order:
whole seconds from the start of the
possession to that event
Events FL X3.RC.23 OR M2.RM.01
Offset 0 18 22 24
the foul opens the possession at 0s;
the putback ends it at 24s, which is
the possession's own Dur
Zion Williamson scores 36 as Pelicans send short-handed Pistons to 6th straight loss
DETROIT -- — Zion Williamson scored 36 points and led the New Orleans Pelicans to a 114-101 victory over the short-handed Detroit Pistons on Sunday.
Williamson shot 13 for 14 from the floor and 10 for 14 from the line in 36 minutes. He added seven rebounds and six assists and received applause from the crowd at Little Caesars Arena when he left the game with 1:20 remaining.
“He got it going about halfway through the first quarter, and we were just going to ride it,” Pelicans coach Willie Green said. “That's why I didn't take him out until the second.”
Williamson became the third player in the last 20 years to score 35 points without a 3-pointer and with fewer than 15 field goal attempts. Dwyane Wade did it in 2005 and 2006, and Dwight Howard accomplished the feat in 2013.
“I know my teammates and my coaches trust me,” said Williamson, who had four points against Miami on Friday. “I wasn't tripping over that game. Coming into this game, I just wanted to get the win and that's what we did.”
CJ McCollum scored 23 points for the Pelicans (44-27), who have won five of six.
The Pistons played without four of their five starters. Cade Cunningham (knee), Jalen Duren (back), Isaiah Stewart (hamstring) and Ausar Thompson (illness) missed the game, and sixth man Simone Fontecchio (toe) was also sidelined. Jaden Ivey was the only available player to have scored more than 500 points this season.
Chimezu Metu and Malachi Flynn each scored 17 points for Detroit (12-59), which lost its sixth straight. Ivey added 16 points and Buddy Boeheim had a career-high 13. The Pistons need four wins in their last 11 games to avoid exceeding the franchise record of 66 losses.
“Our guys believed they could play with the Pelicans,” Pistons coach Monty Williams said. “They went out there and gave us a chance to compete. Zion's just a load when he's playing downhill.”
New Orleans led 57-41 after two periods and did just enough to keep the Pistons from mounting a significant rally in the second half.
The Pistons' patchwork offense has struggled to score. In the first quarter, Detroit shot 21.1% (4 for 19) from the floor, including 0 for 10 from 3-point range, on the way to a season-low 10 points. New Orleans managed more points off turnovers (11) and led by 19 points heading into the second quarter.
“We just turned it over,” Williams said. “We had eight or nine in the first quarter. The ball wasn't sticking and we were playing in the crowd.”
Boeheim matched his career high with eight points in the second quarter and the Pistons trailed by 16 points at the break.
UP NEXT
Pelicans: Host the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday.