DETROIT — It's not a case of just playing out the final string of games to end the season. The Pistons are finding ways to make them interesting.
Interesting might not be the best word to describe the second-half comeback the Pistons made, erasing a 17-point deficit against the Washington Wizards, to at least make things intriguing in the fourth quarter.
The Pistons tied it on a 3-pointer by Rodney McGruder and took their first lead since the first quarter on Saddiq Bey's 3-pointer with 5:02 remaining. The Wizards found their composure and held on for a 100-97 victory on Friday night at Little Caesars Arena.
Marvin Bagley had a season-high 25 points and added five rebounds, Cade Cunningham flirted with a triple-double with 22 points, seven rebounds and nine assists. Isaiah Stewart added 12 points and eight rebounds and Killian Hayes 10 points, six rebounds and four assists for the Pistons (20-54).
The Pistons had their largest lead of the second half after Bagley followed Bey's 3-pointer with an alley-oop pass from Cunningham. The Wizards (31-42) followed with six straight points, including a 3-pointer from Corey Kispert, a free throw from Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and a dunk by Kristaps Porzingis (30 points and nine rebounds), for a 96-93 lead.
Cunningham took center stage with a pair of jumpers on the next two possessions, giving the Pistons a one-point lead, but Porzingis had another answer with a tough jumper in the lane, putting the Wizards back ahead.
Deni Avdija had a career-high 21 points and added 10 rebounds and four assists, and his two free throws with 11.4 seconds remaining pushed the lead to three. The Pistons had a late look at a potential tying 3-pointer from Rodney McGruder, but it was off the mark.
