Saddiq Bey buries last-second 3 as Detroit Pistons stun Golden State Warriors, 122-119
SAN FRANCISCO — January is a clutch month for Saddiq Bey.
With less than one second on the clock, Bey hit an off-balance 3-pointer to give the Detroit Pistons a 122-119 win over the Golden State Warriors. It was the second game-winning 3 of Bey’s career, following a shot by the forward with two seconds left in overtime 369 days prior, on Jan. 1, 2022, against the San Antonio Spurs.
It was a wild finish, as Warriors superstar Klay Thompson tied the game at 119 with a deep 3-pointer right as the clock hit one second. The sharpshooter missed his first six 3-point attempts, but went 3-for-4 from 3 in the final period to help the Warriors close a nine-point deficit. Killian Hayes, who returned from a three-game suspension, made a pair of free throws with 4.2 seconds left to give Detroit a 119-116 lead following a turnover from Warriors star Jordan Poole.
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Bojan Bogdanovic led the Pistons with 29 points, and Jalen Duren finished with a career-high 18 points and 11 rebounds. Hayes also had a strong night as a conductor with nine points and a game-high 13 assists and was the inbounder for Bey’s game-winner.
Duren has career scoring night
The Warriors didn’t have an answer for Duren’s off-ball cutting and overall athleticism. Wednesday was the most productive game of his young career. The 19-year-old rookie surpassed his career-high of 15 points early in the third quarter, and grabbed his 10th rebound midway through the period.
Duren’s biggest highlight was a one-handed alley-oop dunk, courtesy of a pass in transition from Hayes, with 2:38 to play until halftime. The Pistons ran actions throughout the night to get him easy looks at the rim, and Detroit’s guards did their job and continually found him throughout the night. It was Duren’s eighth double-double of the season.
With Marvin Bagley III set to miss extended time with metacarpal fractures in his right hand, coach Dwane Casey had to stagger Duren and Isaiah Stewart more than in recent weeks. The duo remained in the starting lineup together, but alternated spots on the floor after the middle of the first and third quarters. Stewart finished the game, as the Warriors were finally able to make Duren uncomfortable and take away his lanes to the basket in the final period.
Hayes returns from suspension, shines as playmaker
The Pistons clearly missed Hayes during the suspension levied after a brawl with the Orlando Magic on Dec. 29. Their offense was already prone to cold spells this season, and while Hayes’ return didn’t entirely prevent that, it was also clear that the offense runs much better when he’s on the floor. Hayes was a game-high plus-12in his 35 minutes played, and didn’t record a single turnover.
Hayes struggled to shoot, making just three of 12 shots. But his last field goal was a big one, as he drained his lone 3-pointer of the night with 6:20 remaining in the final period to extend Detroit’s lead to six while the Warriors threatened a comeback. Hayes also made those two free throws toward the end, giving the Pistons a late 3-point lead wiped away by Thompson's basket.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Pistons sweep away Warriors with 122-119 win on Saddiq Bey's 3
