Game ID: 22500421
Detroit Pistons @ Sacramento Kings
Tuesday, December 23, 2025 at 10:00 PM ET
Golden 1 Center, Sacramento, CA
Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Final
SAC 24 34 39 30 127DET 37 38 40 21 136
DET @ SAC ScoutingDET @ SAC 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.
SAC availability going into 12/14 · 2 days' restOUT Sabonis missed 11 since 11/19, out tonight
OUT Plowden missed 13 since 11/14, out tonight
OUT Schröder missed 7 since 11/26, returns tonight: 25 min (95% of 26)
OUT Cardwell missed 19 since 11/03, out tonight
OUT Stevens missed 25 since 10/22, out tonight
BACK Carter back 12/11 after 12, 21 min since (115% of 18)
BACK McDermott back 12/11 after 12, 3 min since (22% of 15)
SAC availability going into 12/18 · 3 days' restOUT Sabonis missed 12 since 11/19, out tonight
OUT Plowden missed 14 since 11/14, out tonight
OUT Cardwell missed 20 since 11/03, returns tonight: 16 min (78% of 21)
OUT Stevens missed 26 since 10/22, out tonight
BACK Schröder back 12/14 after 7, 25 min since (95% of 26)
BACK Carter back 12/11 after 12, 21 min since (115% of 18)
BACK McDermott back 12/11 after 12, 3 min since (22% of 15)
SAC availability going into 12/20 · 1 day's restOUT Sabonis missed 13 since 11/19, out tonight
OUT Plowden missed 15 since 11/14, out tonight
OUT Carter missed 2 since 12/14, out tonight
OUT McDermott missed 2 since 12/14, out tonight
OUT Stevens missed 27 since 10/22, out tonight
OUT Eubanks missed 2 since 12/14, out tonight
BACK Schröder back 12/14 after 7, 24 min since (90% of 26)
BACK Cardwell back 12/18 after 20, 16 min since (78% of 21)
SAC availability going into 12/21 · back-to-backOUT LaVine missed 2 since 12/18, out tonight
OUT Sabonis missed 14 since 11/19, out tonight
OUT Plowden missed 16 since 11/14, out tonight
OUT Monk missed 2 since 12/18, returns tonight: 5 min (22% of 22)
OUT Carter missed 3 since 12/14, out tonight
OUT McDermott missed 3 since 12/14, out tonight
OUT Stevens missed 28 since 10/22, out tonight
OUT Eubanks missed 3 since 12/14, out tonight
BACK Schröder back 12/14 after 7, 26 min since (99% of 26)
BACK Cardwell back 12/18 after 20, 18 min since (90% of 21)
SAC availability going into 12/23 · 1 day's restOUT LaVine missed 3 since 12/18, out tonight
OUT Sabonis missed 15 since 11/19, out tonight
OUT Plowden missed 17 since 11/14, out tonight
OUT Carter missed 4 since 12/14, out tonight
OUT McDermott missed 4 since 12/14, out tonight
OUT Stevens missed 29 since 10/22, out tonight
OUT Eubanks missed 4 since 12/14, out tonight
BACK Schröder back 12/14 after 7, 28 min since (105% of 26)
BACK Monk back 12/21 after 2, 5 min since (22% of 22)
BACK Cardwell back 12/18 after 20, 19 min since (93% of 21)
NEW Raynaud 26 to 34 min over the last 5
SAC availability going into 12/27 · 3 days' restOUT LaVine missed 4 since 12/18, out tonight
OUT Sabonis missed 16 since 11/19, out tonight
OUT Plowden missed 18 since 11/14, out tonight
OUT Carter missed 5 since 12/14, out tonight
OUT McDermott missed 5 since 12/14, returns tonight: 19 min (128% of 15)
OUT Stevens missed 30 since 10/22, out tonight
OUT Eubanks missed 5 since 12/14, out tonight
BACK Schröder back 12/14 after 7, 26 min since (99% of 26)
BACK Monk back 12/21 after 2, 9 min since (42% of 22)
BACK Cardwell back 12/18 after 20, 21 min since (102% of 21)
NEW DeRozan 31 to 38 min over the last 5
SAC availability going into 12/28 · back-to-backOUT LaVine missed 5 since 12/18, out tonight
OUT Sabonis missed 17 since 11/19, out tonight
OUT Plowden missed 19 since 11/14, out tonight
OUT Carter missed 6 since 12/14, out tonight
OUT Stevens missed 31 since 10/22, out tonight
OUT Eubanks missed 6 since 12/14, out tonight
BACK Monk back 12/21 after 2, 13 min since (57% of 22)
BACK Cardwell back 12/18 after 20, 21 min since (102% of 21)
BACK McDermott back 12/27 after 5, 19 min since (128% of 15)
SAC availability going into 12/30 · 1 day's restOUT Murray missed 2 since 12/27, returns tonight: 30 min (86% of 34)
OUT LaVine missed 6 since 12/18, out tonight
OUT Sabonis missed 18 since 11/19, out tonight
OUT Plowden missed 20 since 11/14, out tonight
OUT Carter missed 7 since 12/14, returns tonight: 7 min (40% of 18)
OUT Stevens missed 32 since 10/22, out tonight
OUT Eubanks missed 7 since 12/14, returns tonight: 13 min (98% of 13)
BACK Monk back 12/21 after 2, 14 min since (65% of 22)
BACK McDermott back 12/27 after 5, 16 min since (104% of 15)
SAC availability going into 1/01 · 1 day's restOUT LaVine missed 7 since 12/18, out tonight
OUT Sabonis missed 19 since 11/19, out tonight
OUT Plowden missed 21 since 11/14, out tonight
OUT Stevens missed 33 since 10/22, out tonight
BACK Murray back 12/30 after 2, 30 min since (86% of 34)
BACK Monk back 12/21 after 2, 14 min since (62% of 22)
BACK Carter back 12/30 after 7, 7 min since (40% of 18)
BACK McDermott back 12/27 after 5, 13 min since (86% of 15)
BACK Eubanks back 12/30 after 7, 13 min since (98% of 13)
DET availability going into 12/15 · 2 days' restBACK Robinson back 12/05 after 2, 26 min since (95% of 28)
DET availability going into 12/18 · 2 days' restBACK Robinson back 12/05 after 2, 26 min since (94% of 28)
DET availability going into 12/20 · 1 day's restBACK Robinson back 12/05 after 2, 24 min since (85% of 28)
DET availability going into 12/22 · 1 day's rest
full strength
DET availability going into 12/23 · back-to-back
full strength
DET availability going into 12/26 · 2 days' restOUT Holland II missed 2 since 12/22, returns tonight: 19 min (104% of 18)
OUT Sasser missed 2 since 12/22, out tonight
DET availability going into 12/28 · 1 day's restOUT Sasser missed 3 since 12/22, out tonight
BACK Holland II back 12/26 after 2, 19 min since (104% of 18)
DET availability going into 12/30 · 1 day's restOUT Sasser missed 4 since 12/22, returns tonight: 24 min (204% of 12)
BACK Holland II back 12/26 after 2, 19 min since (101% of 18)
DET availability going into 1/01 · 1 day's restBACK Holland II back 12/26 after 2, 19 min since (103% of 18)
BACK Sasser back 12/30 after 4, 24 min since (204% of 12)
I Know — the desk, before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Sacramento comes in 1-4 over its last five, scoring 112 a night and allowing 122, shooting 45 percent and 31 from three, 30 free throws a game; DeRozan at 21 and Schröder at 17 a game. Without LaVine (3 straight), Sabonis (15 straight), Plowden (17 straight). One day's rest. Detroit comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 118 a night and allowing 105, shooting 46 percent and 28 from three, 26 free throws a game; Cunningham at 22 and Duren at 16 a game. It has won the glass by 9 a night. Second night of a back-to-back.
So: Detroit wins, on the road, and the game turns on the defense, Detroit allowing 105 a night to Sacramento's 122 and the glass, where Detroit has been plus-9 a night and Sacramento minus-2. Call it Detroit 118, Sacramento 112.
12/14 @ MIN 103-117 — SAC notes
SAC lost 103-117. SAC shot 46% (37 of 81) to MIN's 46%, 10 of 23 from three. The glass went 36-48 against them. DeRozan led with 17 (8 of 15); Achiuwa added 17, Schröder 17. Q1 was theirs, 27-20, but the other 3 periods went 97-76 against them. Raynaud's -19 in 26 minutes was the worst on the floor.
12/18 @ POR 133-134 — SAC notes
SAC lost 133-134 in 1 overtime. SAC shot 51% (48 of 94) to POR's 48%, 6 of 19 from three. DeRozan led with 33 (10 of 16, 3 of 4 from three, 10 of 10 at the line); Raynaud added 29, Westbrook 20. Q1 was theirs, 40-36, but the other 4 periods went 98-93 against them.
12/20 vs POR 93-98 — SAC notes
SAC lost 93-98. SAC shot 38% (33 of 87) to POR's 43%, 6 of 31 from three, and went to the line 31 times to POR's 25 — 21 points from the stripe to their 17. SAC turned it over 15 times to POR's 20. Schröder led with 21 (6 of 13, 3 of 7 from three, 6 of 7 at the line); Raynaud added 17, K. Murray 15. Q3 was theirs, 25-25, but the other 3 periods went 73-68 against them. Raynaud's -23 in 30 minutes was the worst on the floor.
12/21 vs HOU 125-124 — SAC notes
SAC won 125-124 in 1 overtime. SAC shot 46% (44 of 95) to HOU's 48%, 12 of 32 from three, and went to the line 36 times to HOU's 24 — 25 points from the stripe to their 18. DeRozan led with 27 (9 of 17, 8 of 9 at the line); Murray added 26, Schröder 24. The hinge was Q4, 30-21: SAC came in trailing by 9 and left it level. SAC trailed 57-68 at the half and won the second half 68-56.
12/23 vs DET 127-136 — SAC notes
SAC lost 127-136. SAC shot 46% (42 of 92) to DET's 54%, 11 of 33 from three, and went to the line 37 times to DET's 28 — 32 points from the stripe to their 20. DeRozan led with 37 (12 of 18, 0 of 3 from three, 13 of 15 at the line); Westbrook added 27, Achiuwa 15. Q4 was theirs, 30-21, the deficit cut from 18 to 9, but the other 3 periods went 115-97 against them. Murray's -15 in 20 minutes was the worst on the floor.
12/27 vs DAL — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Sacramento comes in 1-4 over its last five, scoring 116 a night and allowing 122, shooting 45 percent and 33 from three, 33 free throws a game; DeRozan at 26 and Westbrook at 17 a game. Without LaVine (4 straight), Sabonis (16 straight), Plowden (18 straight). 3 days' rest. Dallas comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 118 a night and allowing 122, shooting 51 percent and 28 from three, 23 free throws a game; Flagg at 25 and Davis at 22 a game. One day's rest.
So: Sacramento wins, and the game turns on the line, where Sacramento takes 33 free throws a game to Dallas's 23 and the arc, Sacramento at 33 percent from three to Dallas's 28. Call it Sacramento 119, Dallas 118, Dallas keeping it close.
12/28 @ LAL — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
The Lakers come in 2-3 over their last five, scoring 110 a night and allowing 121, shooting 47 percent and 28 from three, 29 free throws a game; Dončić at 28 and James at 26 a game. That is 3 straight losses. Without Vincent (4 straight). 2 days' rest. Sacramento comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 118 a night and allowing 120, shooting 45 percent and 34 from three, 29 free throws a game; DeRozan at 24 and Westbrook at 19 a game. Without LaVine (5 straight), Sabonis (17 straight), Plowden (19 straight). Second night of a back-to-back.
So: The Lakers win, and the game turns on the arc, Sacramento at 34 percent from three to the Lakers' 28. Call it the Lakers 119, Sacramento 115, Sacramento keeping it close.
12/30 @ LAC — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
The Clippers come in 4-1 over their last five, scoring 113 a night and allowing 104, shooting 49 percent and 43 from three, 26 free throws a game; Leonard at 36 and Harden at 28 a game. That is 4 straight wins. Without Zubac (3 straight). One day's rest. Sacramento comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 112 a night and allowing 118, shooting 44 percent and 33 from three, 26 free throws a game; DeRozan at 22 and Westbrook at 18 a game. Without Murray (2 straight), LaVine (6 straight), Sabonis (18 straight). One day's rest.
So: The Clippers win, and the game turns on the arc, the Clippers at 43 percent from three to Sacramento's 33 and the defense, the Clippers allowing 104 a night to Sacramento's 118. Call it the Clippers 117, Sacramento 110.
1/01 vs BOS — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Sacramento comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 111 a night and allowing 125, shooting 45 percent and 36 from three, 23 free throws a game; DeRozan at 21 and Westbrook at 19 a game. Without LaVine (7 straight), Sabonis (19 straight), Plowden (21 straight). One day's rest. Boston comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 118 a night and allowing 109, shooting 48 percent and 34 from three, 22 free throws a game; Brown at 30 and Pritchard at 20 a game. It has won the glass by 7 a night. Without Minott (3 straight). One day's rest.
So: Boston wins, on the road, and the game turns on the defense, Boston allowing 109 a night to Sacramento's 125 and the glass, where Boston has been plus-7 a night and Sacramento plus-0. Call it Boston 119, Sacramento 112.
12/15 @ BOS 112-105 — DET notes
DET won 112-105. DET shot 46% (41 of 89) to BOS's 46%, 13 of 36 from three. Cunningham led with 32 (11 of 21, 6 of 10 from three); Harris added 13, LeVert 13. The hinge was Q3, 32-24: DET came in trailing by 4 and left it ahead by 4. DET trailed 53-57 at the half and won the second half 59-48. Green was the night's best plus/minus at +13.
12/18 @ DAL 114-116 — DET notes
DET lost 114-116 in 1 overtime. DET took 33 more shots (122 to 89), fed by 26 offensive rebounds, but shot 39% to DAL's 45%, 6 of 33 from three, and got to the line 20 times to DAL's 36. DET turned it over 10 times to DAL's 17. The glass went 62-51 for them. Cunningham led with 29 (12 of 30, 2 of 9 from three); Duren added 17, Stewart 14. Q4 was theirs, 31-19, the deficit cut from 12 to 0, but the other 4 periods went 97-83 against them. Harris's -22 in 18 minutes was the worst on the floor.
12/20 vs CHA 112-86 — DET notes
DET won 112-86. DET shot 44% (41 of 93) to CHA's 31%, 6 of 28 from three, and went to the line 32 times to CHA's 20 — 24 points from the stripe to their 17. The glass went 61-43 for them. Cunningham led with 22 (9 of 20, 1 of 5 from three); Duren added 19, Harris 16. The hinge was Q4, 33-14: a lead of 7 became 26, and the lead reached 29. Cunningham was the night's best plus/minus at +33.
12/22 @ POR 110-102 — DET notes
DET won 110-102. DET shot 44% (44 of 101) to POR's 45%, 7 of 30 from three, and got to the line 24 times to POR's 43. DET turned it over 8 times to POR's 18. The glass went 48-38 for them. Duren led with 26 (11 of 15, 4 of 6 at the line); Thompson added 18, Robinson 15. The hinge was Q3, 34-27: a lead of 10 became 17, and the lead reached 21. Harris was the night's best plus/minus at +17.
12/23 @ SAC 136-127 — DET notes
DET won 136-127. DET shot 54% (51 of 95) to SAC's 46%, 14 of 32 from three, and got to the line 28 times to SAC's 37. Harris led with 24 (10 of 16, 3 of 6 from three); Cunningham added 23, Duren 23. The hinge was Q1, 37-24: from level to 13 ahead, and the lead reached 24. Ivey was the night's best plus/minus at +15.
12/26 @ UTA — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Utah comes in 1-4 over its last five, scoring 128 a night and allowing 135, shooting 46 percent and 38 from three, 33 free throws a game; George at 28 and Bailey at 13 a game. That is 4 straight losses. Without Kessler (24 straight), Harkless (15 straight), Anderson (4 straight). 2 days' rest. Detroit comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 117 a night and allowing 107, shooting 45 percent and 29 from three, 26 free throws a game; Cunningham at 24 and Duren at 18 a game. That is 3 straight wins. It has won the glass by 8 a night. Without Holland II (2 straight). 2 days' rest.
So: Detroit wins, on the road, and the game turns on the defense, Detroit allowing 107 a night to Utah's 135 and the glass, where Detroit has been plus-8 a night and Utah minus-4. Call it Detroit 124, Utah 118.
12/28 @ LAC — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
The Clippers come in 3-2 over their last five, scoring 111 a night and allowing 108, shooting 48 percent and 42 from three, 24 free throws a game; Leonard at 29 and Harden at 24 a game. That is 3 straight wins. Without Zubac (2 straight), Jones Jr. (17 straight). One day's rest. Detroit comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 120 a night and allowing 112, shooting 46 percent and 32 from three, 25 free throws a game; Cunningham at 23 and Duren at 19 a game. It has won the glass by 8 a night. One day's rest.
So: Detroit wins, on the road, and the game turns on the arc, the Clippers at 42 percent from three to Detroit's 32 and the glass, where Detroit has been plus-8 a night and the Clippers plus-1. Call it Detroit 115, the Clippers 113, the Clippers keeping it close.
12/30 @ LAL — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
The Lakers come in 2-3 over their last five, scoring 112 a night and allowing 118, shooting 49 percent and 32 from three, 24 free throws a game; Dončić at 29 and James at 26 a game. Without Vincent (5 straight), Hayes (2 straight). One day's rest. Detroit comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 117 a night and allowing 112, shooting 47 percent and 33 from three, 27 free throws a game; Cunningham at 23 and Duren at 19 a game. It has won the glass by 7 a night. One day's rest.
So: Detroit wins, on the road, and the game turns on the glass, where Detroit has been plus-7 a night and the Lakers minus-3 and the defense, Detroit allowing 112 a night to the Lakers' 118. Call it Detroit 116, the Lakers 115, the Lakers keeping it close.
1/01 vs MIA — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Detroit comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 120 a night and allowing 116, shooting 50 percent and 38 from three, 26 free throws a game; Cunningham at 24 and Duren at 18 a game. It has won the glass by 5 a night. One day's rest. Miami comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 126 a night and allowing 119, shooting 48 percent and 39 from three, 23 free throws a game; Powell at 22 and Jaquez Jr. at 22 a game. That is 3 straight wins. It has won the glass by 5 a night. Without Herro (8 straight). 2 days' rest.
So: Detroit wins, in a game with no one edge to lean on. Call it Detroit 120, Miami 118, Miami keeping it close.
Who is who
the initials in the Players column
SACDC D. Cardwell
DD D. DeRozan
DS D. Schröder
KE K. Ellis
KM K. Murray
MM M. Monk
MR M. Raynaud
NC N. Clifford
PA P. Achiuwa
RW R. Westbrook
SC Schroder
DETAT A. Thompson
CC C. Cunningham
CL C. LeVert
DR D. Robinson
IS I. Stewart
JD J. Duren
JG J. Green
JI J. Ivey
TH T. Harris
SAC/DET 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
Cunningham, Duren and Harris lead East-best Pistons to 136-127 win over Kings
SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- — Cade Cunningham had 23 points and 14 assists, Jalen Duren had 23 points and 12 rebounds, and the Eastern Conference-leading Detroit Pistons beat the Sacramento Kings 136-127 on Tuesday night.
Tobias Harris scored 24 points for the Pistons, who have won nine of 11.
Duren's double-double was his fourth straight and 17th of the season. Ausar Thompson had 19 points for Detroit, and Isaiah Stewart added 16 points off the bench.
DeMar DeRozan scored 37 points and Russell Westbrook had 27 for the Kings, who have lost 10 of 12.
Westbrook had four assists to reach 10,140 for his career, one short of Magic Johnson for seventh in NBA history.
The Pistons, who lead the NBA in points in the paint at 58.1 per game, had 70 points inside to the Kings' 48.
Detroit led 75-58 at halftime and 115-97 after three quarters. Sacramento closed within eight in the final period but got no closer.