SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Golden 1 Center grew uneasy with 6:18 remaining in the game Thursday.
The Detroit Pistons’ Ausar Thompson sank a fading midrange jumper over Kevin Huerter that trimmed the Sacramento Kings’ lead to 98-88 and brought the arena’s crowd from optimistic cheers to pessimistic murmurs.
Then after Malik Beasley hit three of his game-high six 3s that put him into first place on the NBA’s made 3s list this season, Jaden Ivey refused to lose. Six of Ivey’s 19 points came in the final 15 seconds. With Cade Cunningham unable to get to the ball and Beasley too covered to get off a shot, the ball found Ivey for what would eventually become his second game-winner of the season.
Beasley couldn’t shake Trey Lyles and kicked it to Ivey in the corner with 4.6 seconds left. Ivey pump-faked De’Aaron Fox into the air, drew the foul, made the 3 and knocked down the free throw in what felt like a hurry. With the Kings out of timeouts, Fox’s only option on the ensuing possession was a heave from beyond half court that bounced off the backboard.
As boos rained down in Sacramento, the Pistons won 114-113, improving to 3-0 on the road trip and 5-2 in their last seven games. As for Ivey, he once again displayed his value in late-game situations.
If the season ended today, Cunningham (24.2) and Ivey (17.5) would be the highest-scoring Pistons backcourt since Jerry Stackhouse (29.8) and Chucky Atkins (12) combined for 41.8 points per game in 2000-2001.
When asked his initial thoughts as the shot left his hands, Ivey’s answer was what one might expect from someone with enough confidence and talent to successfully carve out a starting role in the association.
“I’m about to make it,” Ivey told The Athletic.
Ivey walked to the free-throw line after a brief huddle alongside Cunningham, Beasley, Tobias Harris and Tim Hardaway Jr. with one thing on his mind.
“Win the game,” he said. “We were down, shoot, almost 20, and Deuce (Cunningham) does what he does the whole game. He stays solid, stays consistent the whole game: being special, an All-Star talent. (Beasley) coming in clutch, he was going crazy in the fourth quarter.”
Cunningham had 33 points, 10 assists and four rebounds. Beasley added 22 points off the bench. But the production from Ivey was equally as important. It was also a sign that Ivey is returning to the level of play he possessed before being sidelined with left knee inflammation for two games.
It was an injury Ivey said “lingered for a while” after the Pistons opened their West Coast road trip with a win over the Phoenix Suns. In the four games before the absence, Ivey was in the midst of his lowest-scoring four-game stretch of the season. He dropped to just 11.3 points per game on 32.6 percent shooting from the field and 28.6 from 3 over that time.
Ivey is now averaging 19 points on 52.4 percent from the field and 52.9 percent from 3 over Detroit’s last three wins. His offensive rating has also gone up each season and now rests at a career-best 110.4, while his defensive rating has steadily gone down each season and is now at 114.2. All encouraging signs for a guard who is still just 22 years old.
Jaden Ivey and Cade Cunningham celebrate after the win over Sacramento. (Kelley L Cox/ Imagn Images)
“De’Aaron Fox was off me a little bit, and he was trying to close out because I had space and room to shoot. I pumped-faked, got him in the air. I was drawing the foul, I knew it,” Ivey said. “And it was just about sticking the shot, and I hit it.”
Detroit is now 8-4 this season when Ivey scores at least 19 points. The third-year guard is at his best when he’s attacking, both in the paint and from the 3-point line. Thursday proved what a balanced offensive attack can look like for Ivey and the dividends it can pay for the Pistons.
Nine of Ivey’s points came from behind the arc, eight came from inside the paint and two came from the free-throw line. The more Ivey touches the paint to score and works out from there to connect on 3s, the better.
Ivey’s points in the paint per game, 3-point percentage and attempts are all also on pace to be career highs. He’s adding more scoring depth on the interior and exterior of his shot charts. That’s a welcome sign for a guard as fast as Ivey if he can continue to efficiently make 3s at a high clip.
The attention to detail Ivey pays to his own game breeds his confidence in himself but also those around him who witness his work ethic.
“He knows how much work he puts in,” Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. “His teammates knew and trusted in him. We could have taken a tougher, contested (3-pointer), but we saw him in the corner and we made the play to him. He went ahead and knocked it down and then had the confidence to knock down the free throw and help us win the game.”
Ivey didn’t take too much time to celebrate before he gave thought to Detroit’s next opponent.
Talked to Jaden Ivey after his game winner. I asked where this shot ranks in his career and he said he can’t put it past his first game winner.
“We won, 3-0 (on the) West Coast right now. It’s an amazing opportunity to go 4-0.”
And of course Cade had some commentary to add. pic.twitter.com/YRSAxPOkfT
— Hunter Patterson (@HuntPatterson_) December 27, 2024
“We won, (we’re) 3-0 on the West Coast right now,” Ivey said. “It’s an amazing opportunity to go 4-0 and get some juice going back home, so we’ve got to finish the job.”
The Pistons (14-17) play at the Denver Nuggets on Saturday. Detroit is ninth in the Eastern Conference, in the Play-In race and 2 1/2 games out of a top-six seed. A playoff spot is likely much more attainable if Ivey continues to harness his efficient aggression.
(Photo: Ezra Shaw / Getty Images)
