Powell’s 36 Points Help Heat Survive Late Pistons Rally

With Andrew Wiggins chipping in 17 points and adding length on the defensive end, Miami built what looked like an insurmountable lead. They opened the third quarter with a blistering 15-2 run, pushing the margin to 22 points. At that stage, Little Caesars Arena was quiet, and the game appeared to be effectively over.

Detroit Charges Back in the Fourth

The Pistons, however, had other plans. Despite trailing by double digits for the majority of the night, Detroit’s young core, led by Cade Cunningham, began to chip away. Cunningham was spectacular in defeat, filling the stat sheet with 31 points, 11 assists, and eight rebounds. He orchestrated the offense masterfully down the stretch, finding open shooters and attacking the paint.

The turning point seemed to arrive in the final minutes. The Pistons’ reserves, who had cut the deficit to nine by the end of the third, handed the baton back to the starters with momentum on their side. A once-comfortable Heat lead evaporated as Detroit went on a tear, reeling off six straight points to make it a 114-103 game with two minutes remaining.

The tension peaked inside the final minute. After a Powell miss, Detroit’s Javonte Green drilled a corner three-pointer with 46.4 seconds left, slicing the Heat’s lead to a razor-thin two points. Suddenly, a blowout had transformed into a one-possession game, putting immense pressure on Miami to execute.

Jaquez Jr. Delivers in the Clutch for the Heat

In moments where games threaten to slip away, teams look for composure, and Miami found it in Jaime Jaquez Jr. With the game on the line and the Detroit crowd roaring, Jaquez Jr. calmly knocked down a short jumper to push the lead back to four, making it a two-possession game. It was a massive bucket that settled the Heat and took the wind out of Detroit’s sails.

On the ensuing possession, the Heat defense forced a critical turnover from Ausar Thompson, effectively sealing the game. Forced to foul, Detroit sent Powell to the line, where he sank a pair of free throws—his only points of the fourth quarter—to ice the game.

What’s Next for the Heat

Despite the late-game scare, there are plenty of positives for Miami to take from this contest. The team showed offensive versatility, with four starters scoring in double figures. Perhaps most importantly, they found a way to win on the road when their shooting went cold in the fourth quarter.

The Heat held Detroit to just 34.6% shooting from three-point range and controlled the tempo for the vast majority of the game. Now sitting at 19-15, Miami is beginning to climb the Eastern Conference standings. They will look to make it five in a row when they return to South Beach to host the Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday.

For Detroit, the loss drops them to 25-9, but the resilience shown by Cunningham and the supporting cast proves they remain a tough out for any team in the league. They look to bounce back Sunday against Cleveland.