However, Herro connected on another triple, sending the game into overtime. The Heat outscored Detroit 18-2 in the final five minutes of regulation.
Miami took a 122-114 lead over the Heat with 2:32 left. The Heat appeared to be on the verge of a victory until Tim Hardaway Jr. nailed three consecutive 3-pointers to give the Pistons a 123-122 lead. Miami and Detroit traded baskets in the final minute, beginning with Butler scoring on a layup attempt to provide the Heat with a 124-123 lead but losing his shoe in the process.
Cunningham took advantage of the five-on-four possession and scored a basket, giving the Pistons a 125-124 lead with 38 seconds remaining. Butler led Miami with a game-high 35 points, 19 rebounds and 10 assists. Herro added 23.
“We played on our heels a little bit too much — allowed them to be the aggressors,” Cunningham said. “They have too many good players and coaches; they are going to make you pay for that. We just got in the huddle and decided to put our foot down, draw the line and then we put out the win.”
Cunningham led the Pistons with his sixth triple-double of the season, totaling 20 points, a career-best 18 assists and 11 rebounds. He recorded eight dimes in the first half, which contributed to a 63-59 lead for Detroit.
Malik Beasley, who started in place of Jaden Ivey, was the recipient of over half of Cunningham’s assists, scoring 13 of his team-high 28 points during the first half. He finished shooting efficiently, going 9-of-18 from the floor and 7-of-13 from behind the arc.
Since making his season debut on Nov. 25, Ausar Thompson had his best game despite battling through a lingering knee issue, scoring19 points and grabbing nine rebounds. He converted a two-handed dunk at the 11:18 mark of the third quarter and landed awkwardly on his left knee.
He limped to the sideline, and after the training staff quickly evaluated him, Thompson returned. He finished the night playing a season-best 26 minutes. After the game, Thompson revealed that his injury scare was due to cramps.
“I thought he was really good on both ends of the floor,” Bickerstaff said. “There’s more to come. You see all the things that he can do on the floor, as a playmaker, as a rebounder, playing off the catch and attacking the paint — we know what he’s capable of defensively. I thought he was really good tonight, and I think he’s only gonna get better.”
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The Pistons have been relatively healthy during the first 26 games of the season, with the exception of a few nagging injuries. However, against the Heat, they were without two of their rotational players.
First, Ivey was a late scratch due to left knee pain and unexpectedly spent the night sitting at the end of the bench dressed in a gray Nike warm up suit. At the start of the second quarter, the Pistons lost backup big man Isaiah Stewart, who sustained a hyperextended left knee while contesting a layup attempt against the Heat’s Terry Rozier. Overall, the Pistons are 11-16.
Up next The Pistons will host the Utah Jazz on Thursday night. The game will be Detroit’s final home game of the calendar year. The Pistons begin a four-game West Coast road trip against the Phoenix Suns on Saturday. Tipoff between the Pistons and Jazz is slated for 7 p.m. at LCA.
Observations vs. Heat ▶ Tobias Harris ruled day-to-day: Ivey and Stewart weren’t the only players sidelined against the Heat. Tobias Harris missed his second game this season due to a right thumb sprain sustained against the Boston Celtics on Thursday. While expressing the difficulty of replacing Harris’ production, Bickerstaff revealed prior to the game that the veteran forward will be day-to-day amid his pending return.
▶ Ausar Thompson put together his best game of the season: Amid his second start, Thompson had his best performance. He displayed his potential as a prominent two-way player. However, it was the small on-court intangibles that made Thompson stand out.
On the first defensive possession, Thompson used his athleticism to break up Duncan Robinson’s alley-oop attempt to Bam Adebayo. Thompson later forced Robinson into a turnover after he stripped the ball away amid his attempt to attack downhill. On the offensive end, he provided Cunningham with a persistent target who filled the lane in transition. Four of Cunningham’s 18 assists came in transition with Thompson as the beneficiary.
▶ Improving their ability to defend the 3: The Pistons came into the game as one of the league’s worst teams defending against the 3-ball. They allowed their opponents to shoot 37.7% from behind the arc, and their struggles led to Bickerstaff highlighting the issue during a rare two consecutive days of practice. The results led to the Pistons holding the Heat to 27.9% shooting, marking one of their best defensive performances of the year.
Coty.Davis@detroitnews.com
@cotydavis_24
