Durant drops 51 for Nets career-high to extend Pistons' skid / News - Basketnews.com

Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports Credit Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

Kevin Durant scored a season-high 51 points as the visiting Brooklyn Nets (19-8) earned a 116-104 (31-24, 29-33, 26-34, 30-13) victory Sunday while handing the Detroit Pistons (4-22) their 12th consecutive defeat.

Player of the Game EFF 44 Kevin Durant Points 51 Accuracy 16-31 Rebounds 7 Assists 9

Durant's point total set a Little Caesars Arena record. Ex-Pistons forward Blake Griffin, who currently plays for the Nets, held the previous record with 50 points.

Durant added nine assists and seven rebounds as the Nets won for the third time in their last four games.

Patty Mills added 18 points and five assists for the Nets, while LaMarcus Aldridge had 15 points and Cam Thomas tossed in 13 for Brooklyn, which outscored Detroit 30-13 in the fourth quarter.

The Nets rested perennial All-Star guard James Harden.

Cade Cunningham led Detroit with 26 points, eight rebounds, six assists and three steals. Frank Jackson had 25 points and Saben Lee supplied 17 points, six rebounds, six assists, and three steals.

The Pistons learned earlier in the day that leading scorer Jerami Grant would miss at least six weeks due to a thumb injury.

Brooklyn led by as much as 13 in the first quarter but a Cunningham 3-pointer in the closing seconds cut the Nets' advantage to 31-24.

Detroit briefly took the lead in the second quarter with a 16-1 run that included 10 points from Jackson.

Durant scored 12 points in the second quarter as Brooklyn rebounded to take a 60-57 halftime advantage.

The Pistons reeled off 12 unanswered points in the third quarter to take a 73-66 lead. Hamidou Diallo capped the outburst with a three-point play off a cutting layup. Durant reached the 35-point mark midway through the quarter on a 3-point shot.

Lee scored 10 points in the third quarter as Detroit carried a 91-86 lead into the fourth.

The momentum shifted dramatically in the final quarter. Brooklyn went on a 19-1 run to take a 13-point lead at 105-92. Durant had nine points, two assists and a block and Thomas scored six points during that stretch.

Detroit finally scored its first field goal of the quarter with 5:23 left as Jackson drained a 3-pointer. The Pistons missed six shots and made nine turnovers during the drought.

Brooklyn led by double digits the rest of the game.

Pistons: Cade Cunningham 26 (4/10 2PT, 5/8 3PT, 8 REB, 6 AST, 3 STL, 7 TO), Frank Jackson 25 (6/13 3PT), Saben Lee 17 (5/8 2PT, 2/5 3PT, 6 REB, 6 AST, 3 STL), Hamidou Diallo 11 (5/8 2PT).Nets: Kevin Durant 51 (11/21 2PT, 5/10 3PT, 14/15 FT, 7 REB, 9 AST, 2 BLK, 5 TO), Patrick Mills 18 (3/7 2PT, 4/10 3PT, 5 AST), LaMarcus Aldridge 15 (3/7 2PT, 6/6 FT, 5 REB, 4 TO), Cam Thomas 13 (5/7 2PT).

Full game highlights:

Kevin Durant highlights:

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