Detroit Pistons no match for Phoenix Suns in 105-97 loss in East Lansing

EAST LANSING — The Detroit Pistons knocked down their first seven shots Tuesday night.

They had to work much harder for the rest of them.

The Pistons fell to the Phoenix Suns at Breslin Center on Wednesday, 105-97, to fall to 1-1 in preseason. Both the Pistons' and Suns' owners — Tom Gores and Mat Ishbia, respectively — are Michigan State alums and sat courtside. Ishbia, of course, also played point guard as a walk-on under Tom Izzo from 1999-2002.

Izzo, too, was at the game and chatted with Pistons personnel throughout the night.

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Malik Beasley replaced Tim Hardaway Jr. in the Pistons' starting lineup. The other four remained the same from Sunday's victory : Cade Cunningham, Jaden Ivey, Simone Fontecchio and Jalen Duren. Tobias Harris (illness) and Bobi Klintman (right calf contusion) missed their second consecutive exhibition.

Hardaway replaced Cunningham to open the second half.

Duren (17 points) and Ivey (16 points, five assists) led the way for the Pistons. Cunningham had just three points in less than 19 minutes, but dished out eight assists. Kevin Durant led the Suns with 21 points.

Offense stagnates after promising preseason Game 1

After making 11 of 19 attempts (57.9%) in the first quarter, the Pistons slumped to 28% in the second quarter. Then first-year head coach J.B. Bickerstaff sat Cunningham in the second half, and things got worse. The Suns went on an 18-0 run in the second half to take complete control, with the Pistons shooting 30% in the third period, with fewer makes (6-for-20) than in the opening 6 minutes of the first.

The Pistons' overall execution lacked compared to Sunday, when they closed a 17-point deficit against the Milwaukee Bucks and won the game by 33 points. Sunday, they shot 46.2% overall with 12 turnovers. On Tuesday, they committed 18 turnovers and shot 41.2%.

With the game out of hand after halftime, Bickerstaff went deep into the bench. Wendell Moore Jr., two-way players Daniss Jenkins and Tosan Evbuomwan and Exhibit 10 signings Lamar Stevens, Javonte McCoy and Dereon Seabron all saw the floor.

The offense did improve in the final period, as Detroit's bench shot 11-for-21 and outscored the Suns, 31-20, to cut the final deficit to single digits.

Ivey stays hot

The third-year guard led the Pistons with an efficient 22 points on Sunday. He kept firing Wednesday, knocking down a midrange jumper and a pull-up 3-pointer in the final minute of the first period. It was his fourth straight 3, following a 3-for-3 mark against Milwaukee.

After an up-and-down sophomore season, Ivey has had a confident first two games in the preseason. His shot looks smoother and his drives have been on time in and in control.

Contact Omari Sankofa II at osankofa@freepress.com . Follow him @omarisankofa .

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Pistons no match for Phoenix Suns in 105-97 loss in East Lansing