Foto

Detroit Pistons waste big Blake Griffin effort, lose to Spurs

DeMar DeRozan developed into an All-Star under Dwane Casey's guidance in Toronto. In the first regular-season game since the two were separated by circumstance, DeRozan delivered more misery to his former coach. DeRozan, who was traded to San Antonio during the offseason, piled up 26 points, nine assists and seven rebounds as the efficient Spurs dumped the slumping Pistons, 119-107, at Little Caesars Arena on Monday. LaMarcus Aldridge had 25 points and six rebounds for San Antonio as another big Blake Griffin performance went to waste. He had 34 points and eight assists. Andre Drummond added 14 points and 19 rebounds. The Pistons have lost 14 of their last 18 games to fall four games below .500. Floor leaders Reggie Jackson and Jose Calderon have been woefully ineffective during the Pistons' slide and it didn't get any better on Monday. Jackson, who made a game-clinching turnover against Utah on Saturday, had a quiet nine points and no assists in the first half against the Spurs. Calderon posted a minus 16 in his 11 first-half minutes. Casey pulled Jackson midway through the third quarter with the team trailing by double digits and Jackson sprinted to the end of the bench. Casey stuck with the 37-year-old Calderon until midway through the fourth, then briefly used the combination of rookie Bruce Brown and Luke Kennard until Jackson returned with 4:22 left in the game. Jackson wound up with 14 points and one assist. Calderon had three points and assists in 23 minutes. Heavy reliance on Griffin has been one of the Pistons' themes this season but they can't fall apart every time he leaves the court. Utah trailed by 18 points after the first quarter on Saturday but climbed back in the second quarter with the aid of a 14-0 run. Griffin had 13 first-quarter points against the Spurs as the Pistons built a six-point lead. While he rested, San Antonio outscored Drummond and four reserves 18-2. The Spurs' run eventually grew to 22-4 before the Pistons whittled the deficit to eight by halftime. Detroit's bench has been a liability ever since point guard Ish Smith suffered an adductor tear in Milwaukee last month. He missed his 16th consecutive game, while backup center and stabilizing force Zaza Pachulia sat out for the fourth straight game with a right leg contusion. San Antonio's reserves outscored Detroit's bench 23-8 in the first half. Former Michigan State guard Bryn Forbes went undrafted in 2016 but has worked his way into a starting role with San Antonio. Forbes hit a 3-pointer during San Antonio's second-quarter outburst and drilled another in the late going to give the Spurs a 16-point lead. He finished with 15 points. "That's what our league should be about," Casey said. "Guys who work hard and stay hungry. He's one of the best shooters around right now." Download our Pistons Xtra app on iTunes or Android !