Ron Holland II, Marcus Sasser lead shorthanded Pistons to win vs. Pelicans

Coty M. Davis, The Detroit News on Mar 23, 2025

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DETROIT — The Detroit Pistons began their three-game homestand with a 136-130 win over the New Orleans Pelicans on Sunday at Little Caesars Arena.

Due to injuries to Cade Cunningham and Tim Hardaway Jr., the Pistons were extremely shorthanded against the Pelicans.

However, Ron Holland II played a crucial role in helping Detroit fill the gap, tying a career-high 26 points on 10-of-14 shooting, six assists, five rebounds and two steals. At the 4:58 mark of the fourth quarter, Holland's circus shot resulted in Detroit taking a 115-110 lead. A few possessions later, he connected on a 3-pointer to give Detroit a 118-112 lead.

Marcus Sasser was also essential for Detroit, scoring 20 points on 6-of-9 shooting and 3 of 4 from deep off the bench. His 3-pointer with 2:43 remaining in the period gave Detroit a six-point lead and control to prevent an upset. With this victory, the Pistons (40-32) achieved their 40th win of the season, marking the first time they have reached this milestone since the 2018-19 season.

The Pelicans were just as shorthanded, as they took the floor without Zion Williamson. But despite being without their franchise star, the Pelicans must have been motivated after taking a 46-point beatdown on their home floor seven days earlier.

C.J. McCollum nailed a mid-range jumper, bringing the Pelicans within 73-70 by the 7:30 mark of the third quarter. A layup attempt by Karlo Matković (eight points and 11 rebounds) on New Orleans’ next possession resulted in the Pelicans not only closing the gap to one point but also shifting the momentum in their favor.

McCollum’s layup at the 6:49 mark gave New Orleans a 74-73 lead. They began the second half outscoring Detroit 15-5. McCollum scored a game-high 40 points on 16-of-28 shooting. The Pistons trailed by five (88-83) following Jordan Hawkins' sixth 3-pointer with 2:35 in the third quarter.

After Hawkins' triple, coach J.B. Bickerstaff called a timeout that slowed New Orleans' surge. The Pistons closed the period on a 10-3 run, which led to a 93-91 lead entering the fourth quarter. Hawkins added 25 points off the bench for New Orleans.

Jalen Duren recorded his 35th double-double of the season with 22 points and 12 rebounds. Tobias Harris added 14 points. Dennis Schroder added 16 points and five assists.

Up next

The Pistons will continue their three-game homestand Tuesday night against the San Antonio Spurs. They play the final game of the stretch against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday. Tipoff against the Spurs is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET at LCA.

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