Andre Drummond had 21 points, 17 rebounds and four assists, Reggie Jackson supplied 20 points and six assists off the bench, and the host Detroit Pistons snapped a five-game losing streak by surprising the Denver Nuggets 128-123 in overtime on Sunday.
Bruce Brown contributed 19 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists, and Svi Mykhailiuk and Tony Snell scored 13 points apiece for Detroit. Drummond recorded the 400th double-double of his career.
Detroit's Derrick Rose left in the first half with a groin injury and did not return to the game. He finished with two points, ending his streak of 20-point games at 14.
Nikola Jokic carried Denver, which was coming off impressive wins over Utah and Milwaukee, with 39 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists. Will Barton had 20 points, nine rebounds and five assists, and Monte Morris scored 19 points.
The Nuggets were playing without four rotation players due to injuries, including point guard Jamal Murray and forwards Michael Porter Jr. and Paul Millsap.
Drummond scored 78 seconds into the overtime session and Brown followed with a 3 to give Detroit a 116-112 lead. Drummond fouled out on the Nuggets' next possession but replacement Thon Maker hit a baseline shot to give the Pistons a five-point lead with 2:24 to play.
A Jerami Grant 3-pointer with a minute to go cut Detroit's lead to four points. But the Pistons made four free throws down the stretch and Maker converted a lob pass to seal the victory.
Detroit was trailed by 21, 31-10, less than eight minutes into the first quarter. But the Pistons roared back behind rookie Sekou Doumbouya, who scored all of his 17 points before halftime.
The Pistons led 68-65 at the break. They were clinging to a one-point lead, 90-89, heading into the fourth.
Drummond scored two baskets to give Detroit a four-point lead with four minutes left in regulation but Jokic answered with two of his own to tie it.
Both teams had a chance to win it in the final minute but Barton and Jackson missed shots in the lane.
--Field Level Media
Denver | Detroit | |
Nikola Jokic 39 | Scoring | Andre Drummond 21 |
Nikola Jokic 11 | Assists | Bruce Brown 8 |
Nikola Jokic 10 | Rebounds | Andre Drummond 17 |
Nikola Jokic 6 | Free Throws Made | Svi Mykhailiuk 6 |
Nikola Jokic 3 | Steals | Svi Mykhailiuk 2 |
Jerami Grant 3 | Blocks | Andre Drummond 2 |
Team | Points | FG% | 3PM-3PA | FTM-FTA | Assists | Rebounds | Blocks | Steals | Turnovers |
Denver | 123 | 50.0 | 10-32 | 17-22 | 30 | 47 | 7 | 7 | 10 |
Detroit | 128 | 51.1 | 14-31 | 18-24 | 33 | 43 | 2 | 4 | 12 |