Pistons (22-27), Pelicans (19-31)
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. – A closely-contested interconference matchup Wednesday turned decisively in Detroit’s favor in the fourth quarter, as the Pistons quickly expanded a slim lead to a double-digit advantage and prevailed by a deceptively large final margin. New Orleans went cold at an inopportune time, scoring just eight points in the initial six-plus minutes of the final period, en route to falling to 0-2 on its three-game Eastern Conference road trip. Detroit guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope was one major thorn in the sides of the Pelicans, racking up a career-best 38 points.