Dave Bing, Jerry Stackhouse, Richard Hamilton, Malachi Flynn? What do these players have in common? They’ve all scored 50 points or more in a Detroit Pistons uniform. Flynn became a part of Pistons history Wednesday night when he scored 50 points in the Pistons 121-113 loss against the Atlanta Hawks. How significant is this 50-piece in basketball history? Let’s talk about it.
Flynn Putting In Work.
Coming into Wednesday night’s game against the Hawks, Flynn had played in 17 games for the Pistons, averaging 5.8 points and 1.3 assists in 11 minutes. With Cade Cunningham missing the game due to a knee injury, Flynn would get more minutes on the floor. In the previous four games Cade Cunningham has missed, Flynn averaged 14 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 2.0 assists on 41/42/66% shooting.
Flynn started the night with a solid first quarter, scoring eight points on 2/3 FG, 0/1 3PT, and 4/4 FT. In the second quarter, His balance scoring would continue with 9 points on 3/5 FG, 1/1 3PT, and 2/3 FT. The Pistons would find themselves down 59-50 at halftime. In the third quarter, Flynn would score fourteen points on 5/5 FG, 1/1 3PT, and 3/5 FT. Despite this outburst, The Pistons would find themselves down 92-79. Flynn would lead the comeback in the fourth quarter, scoring nineteen points on 8/12 FG, 3/6 3PT, and 2/3 FT. The Pistons found themselves down by 5 points with 5:19 in the fourth, but they couldn’t overcome the hole and ended up losing their 10th out of 11 games.
Flynn Is Now In The History Books.
With his 50-point game, Flynn has etched his name in the annals of NBA history. He joins the elite company of Jamal Crawford and Nick Anderson, the only players to score 50 points off the bench (Crawford, April 9th, 2019 & Anderson, April 23rd, 1993). What sets Flynn apart is his scoring average, the lowest of any player to achieve this feat (5.2 points). In addition to his 50 points, Flynn contributed six rebounds and five assists; he is only the second player in NBA history to achieve 50 points, five rebounds, and five assists off the bench (Jamal Crawford).
In the rich history of the Pistons, Flynn is now the 9th player to score 50 points in a game, a feat not achieved since Saddiq Bey. His performance stands out as one of the most unexpected and remarkable in recent memory, solidifying his place among the greats of the franchise… How about that?
In Conclusion.
This goes out to all the people out there who talk about NBA players not being good players. Any NBA player can perform like this at any given time. Remember, these players have earned many different accomplishments while playing basketball. This is the most random 50-point game in the history of the NBA. This is more random than Corey Brewer, Andre Miller, or Willie Burton scoring 50 points in a game. It was a sight to see and suitable for a guy who’s been a professional since joining the Pistons.
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