Pistons Fall to Wizards in Late-Game Collapse, 129-125

DETROIT — The Detroit Pistons suffered a disappointing 129-125 loss to the Washington Wizards on March 14, 2025, failing to secure a win against one of the league’s lowest-positioned teams at Little Caesars Arena.

Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff criticized his team’s defensive performance, stating, “This is one we need to own responsibility for. We allowed them to play well. To give up 69 points in the first half. To give up backdoor layup after backdoor layup.” The defense struggled throughout the game, with the Wizards scoring over 31 points in three of the four quarters.

Cade Cunningham led the Pistons with a game-high 38 points on 9-of-25 shooting, contributing 10 assists, three rebounds, two steals, and two blocks. Despite his effort, Cunningham missed all seven of his three-point attempts, relying heavily on free throws, making 20 of his 21 attempts.

The Pistons, needing a win to boost their playoff aspirations, allowed the Wizards to establish momentum. Bickerstaff acknowledged the shift in confidence for the Wizards, who had previously lost to Detroit by 20 points just two nights earlier. “You give an NBA team belief on any given night, and anybody can win,” Bickerstaff added.

Defensively, Detroit recorded only 11 contested shot attempts against 90 total shots taken by Washington, allowing 10 offensive rebounds that resulted in eight second-chance points. It’s a performance that could have long-term consequences for the Pistons as they fight for playoff positioning.

Detroit’s Ausar Thompson, who has been a critical defensive asset, played just 19 minutes in the game. Bickerstaff did not explain Thompson’s limited minutes during his postgame availability, which likely contributed to the Pistons’ struggles on defense.

Isaiah Stewart stressed the need for the team to take opponents seriously, saying, “From the start of the game we didn’t take this matchup as serious. We came out, we didn’t play Detroit basketball tonight.” The loss left the Pistons stagnant in the Eastern Conference standings at the sixth seed, while the Wizards—who only won their 14th game of the season—gained a surprising boost in confidence.

Looking ahead, the Pistons will face the Oklahoma City Thunder (54-12) at home Saturday. With eight of their remaining 15 games against teams with winning records, Detroit must improve significantly to secure a playoff spot. “These games suck with the outcome,” Bickerstaff concluded. “But sometimes you’ve got to learn the hard way.”