DETROIT -- — Duncan Robinson and Cade Cunningham each scored 16 points in limited minutes as the Detroit Pistons routed the shorthanded Indiana Pacers 121-78 on Saturday night at Little Caesars Arena.

The 43-point margin matched the ninth-biggest win in Pistons franchise history.

The Pacers played without their four leading scorers, with Pascal Siakam resting and Benedict Mathurin (thumb), Andrew Nembhard (back) and Obi Toppin (foot) dealing with injuries. T.J. McConnell, who is sixth on the team in scoring and second in assists, also sat out with a knee problem.

Jalen Duren had 15 points and eight rebounds for Detroit, which got points from 13 players. as the Pistons won for the fifth time in six games.

Jarace Walker led Indiana with 13 points and Tony Bradley added 12. The Pacers had won four of five.

Detroit led by as many as 44 points in the third quarter, around the time that Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff pulled his starters for the night. Duren led the starters with 23 minutes and Cunningham and Robinson were the only others to reach 20.

Indiana started the game looking like a team using a G-League roster. They missed 10 of their first 11 shots and turned the ball over five times as Detroit built a 24-2 lead in the first seven minutes.

It was 59-25 at the half, thanks to the Pacers shooting 23.3% (10-43) from the floor, including 6% (1-18) on 3-pointers, and missing seven of 11 free throws. Cunningham (11), Robinson (10) and Duren (9) outscored the Indiana roster 30-25.

The 25 points was Detroit's best defensive half by 11 points and Indiana's worst offensive half by nine points.

Up next

Indiana: Play their third game in four nights on Monday in Philadelphia.

Detroit: Host the Boston Celtics on Monday.

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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA

Play By Play

Recent plays and game events

TIME	PLAY
12:00	Jay Huff vs. Jalen Duren (Quenton Jackson gains possession)	0	0
11:58	Cade Cunningham personal foul	0	0
11:52	Quenton Jackson misses 23-foot step back jumpshot	0	0
11:47	Jalen Duren defensive rebound	0	0
11:43	Duncan Robinson makes 25-foot three pointer (Jalen Duren assists)	3	0
11:31	Jay Huff misses 25-foot three point jumper	3	0
11:31	Cade Cunningham defensive rebound	3	0
11:23	Cade Cunningham makes running layup	5	0
11:05	Jarace Walker misses driving layup	5	0
11:02	Jarace Walker offensive rebound	5	0
11:01	Jarace Walker misses two point shot	5	0
11:01	Tobias Harris defensive rebound	5	0
10:48	Duncan Robinson misses driving floating jump shot	5	0
10:44	Jarace Walker defensive rebound	5	0
10:41	Johnny Furphy out of bounds lost ball turnover	5	0
10:26	Jalen Duren misses 4-foot two point shot	5	0
10:21	Jay Huff defensive rebound	5	0
10:12	Johnny Furphy lost ball turnover (Ausar Thompson steals)	5	0
10:08	Jalen Duren makes 2-foot running dunk (Ausar Thompson assists)	7	0
10:08	Jay Huff shooting foul	7	0
10:08	Jalen Duren makes free throw 1 of 1	8	0
10:06	Ausar Thompson personal foul	8	0
10:06	Quenton Jackson technical foul	8	0
10:06	Cade Cunningham makes technical free throw	9	0
9:57	Quenton Jackson makes driving layup	9	2
9:48	Quenton Jackson personal foul	9	2
9:36	Cade Cunningham makes 17-foot pullup jump shot	11	2
9:19	Johnny Furphy steps out of bounds turnover	11	2
9:03	Cade Cunningham makes 12-foot driving floating jump shot (Jalen Duren assists)	13	2
9:03	Jarace Walker shooting foul	13	2
9:03	Pacers Full timeout	13	2
9:03	Cade Cunningham makes free throw 1 of 1	14	2
8:48	Jay Huff misses 27-foot three point jumper	14	2
8:44	Cade Cunningham defensive rebound	14	2
8:40	Jay Huff shooting foul	14	2
8:40	Jalen Duren misses free throw 1 of 2	14	2
8:40	Pistons offensive team rebound	14	2
8:40	Kam Jones enters the game for Jay Huff	14	2
8:40	Isaiah Jackson enters the game for Ben Sheppard	14	2
8:40	Jalen Duren makes free throw 2 of 2	15	2
8:32	Quenton Jackson steps out of bounds turnover	15	2
8:24	Jalen Duren loose ball foul	15	2
8:24	Jalen Duren lost ball turnover	15	2
8:09	Jarace Walker misses 19-foot fade away jump shot	15	2
8:05	Tobias Harris defensive rebound	15	2
7:54	Ausar Thompson makes 1-foot dunk (Tobias Harris assists)	17	2
7:44	Tobias Harris personal foul	17	2
7:34	Jarace Walker misses 5-foot reverse layup	17	2
7:31	Ausar Thompson defensive rebound	17	2
7:25	Cade Cunningham makes 24-foot three point jumper (Tobias Harris assists)	20	2
7:07	Jarace Walker lost ball turnover (Ausar Thompson steals)	20	2
7:02	Quenton Jackson shooting foul	20	2
7:02	Ausar Thompson makes free throw 1 of 2	21	2
7:02	Ethan Thompson enters the game for Johnny Furphy	21	2
7:02	Micah Potter enters the game for Quenton Jackson	21	2
7:02	Ausar Thompson misses free throw 2 of 2	21	2
6:59	Micah Potter defensive rebound	21	2
6:48	Ethan Thompson misses 23-foot three point jumper	21	2
6:44	Ausar Thompson defensive rebound	21	2
6:40	Duncan Robinson misses 25-foot three point jumper	21	2
6:36	Micah Potter defensive rebound	21	2
6:31	Ethan Thompson misses 22-foot three point jumper	21	2
6:27	Cade Cunningham defensive rebound	21	2
6:22	Cade Cunningham misses driving floating jump shot	21	2
6:20	Pacers defensive team rebound	21	2
6:20	Pistons Full timeout	21	2
6:20	(06:20) [Pistons] COACH'S CHALLENGE (CALL STANDS) [Pistons] charged with a timeout	21	2
6:05	Ausar Thompson shooting foul	21	2
6:05	Jarace Walker misses free throw 1 of 2	21	2
6:05	Pacers offensive team rebound	21	2
6:05	Ronald Holland II enters the game for Ausar Thompson	21	2
6:05	Jarace Walker misses free throw 2 of 2	21	2
6:01	Tobias Harris defensive rebound	21	2
5:48	Tobias Harris misses 5-foot two point shot	21	2
5:46	Jalen Duren offensive rebound	21	2
5:44	Cade Cunningham misses 26-foot three point jumper	21	2
5:44	Ronald Holland II offensive rebound	21	2
5:38	Ronald Holland II makes dunk	23	2
5:26	Kam Jones misses driving layup	23	2
5:22	Duncan Robinson defensive rebound	23	2
5:07	Isaiah Jackson shooting foul	23	2
5:07	Jalen Duren misses free throw 1 of 2	23	2
5:07	Pistons offensive team rebound	23	2
5:07	Isaiah Stewart enters the game for Tobias Harris	23	2
5:07	Jaden Ivey enters the game for Duncan Robinson	23	2
5:07	Johnny Furphy enters the game for Jarace Walker	23	2
5:07	Jalen Duren makes free throw 2 of 2	24	2
4:56	Cade Cunningham personal foul	24	2
4:56	Ethan Thompson misses free throw 1 of 2	24	2
4:56	Pacers offensive team rebound	24	2
4:56	Caris LeVert enters the game for Cade Cunningham	24	2
4:56	Ethan Thompson makes free throw 2 of 2	24	3
4:36	Caris LeVert out of bounds bad pass turnover	24	3
4:26	Isaiah Jackson makes 3-foot layup (Kam Jones assists)	24	5
4:04	Jalen Duren misses 6-foot two point shot	24	5
4:01	Ethan Thompson defensive rebound	24	5
3:55	Isaiah Jackson makes layup (Ethan Thompson assists)	24	7
3:38	Jalen Duren makes 4-foot hook shot (Isaiah Stewart assists)	26	7
3:31	Isaiah Stewart personal foul	26	7
3:31	Micah Potter makes free throw 1 of 2	26	8
3:31	Javonte Green enters the game for Jalen Duren	26	8
3:31	Tony Bradley enters the game for Isaiah Jackson	26	8
3:31	Micah Potter makes free throw 2 of 2	26	9
3:19	Jaden Ivey makes 25-foot three point jumper (Caris LeVert assists)	29	9
3:06	Caris LeVert blocks Johnny Furphy 's 7-foot driving layup	29	9
3:06	Pistons defensive team rebound	29	9
3:01	Caris LeVert misses 23-foot three point jumper	29	9
2:56	Johnny Furphy defensive rebound	29	9
2:44	Jaden Ivey shooting foul	29	9
2:44	Johnny Furphy misses free throw 1 of 2	29	9
2:44	Pacers offensive team rebound	29	9
2:44	Johnny Furphy misses free throw 2 of 2	29	9
2:43	Pistons defensive team rebound	29	9
2:28	Jaden Ivey misses 10-foot fade away jump shot	29	9
2:28	Pacers defensive team rebound	29	9
2:13	Kam Jones misses 22-foot three point jumper	29	9
2:09	Javonte Green defensive rebound	29	9
1:57	Ronald Holland II misses driving layup	29	9
1:54	Johnny Furphy defensive rebound	29	9
1:53	Johnny Furphy out of bounds lost ball turnover	29	9
1:43	Caris LeVert lost ball turnover (Johnny Furphy steals)	29	9
1:39	Caris LeVert blocks Johnny Furphy 's 3-foot running layup	29	9
1:33	Ethan Thompson offensive rebound	29	9
1:32	Tony Bradley lost ball turnover (Ronald Holland II steals)	29	9
1:26	Javonte Green misses 23-foot three point jumper	29	9
1:23	Micah Potter defensive rebound	29	9
1:19	Ethan Thompson misses running pullup jump shot	29	9
1:14	Kam Jones offensive rebound	29	9
1:13	Tony Bradley makes 6-foot two point shot (Micah Potter assists)	29	11
54.5	Isaiah Stewart misses driving layup	29	11
51.7	Ethan Thompson defensive rebound	29	11
43.3	Johnny Furphy misses 24-foot three point jumper	29	11
38.6	Ronald Holland II defensive rebound	29	11
31.1	Johnny Furphy blocks Ronald Holland II 's 4-foot driving layup	29	11
27.9	Micah Potter defensive rebound	29	11
11.8	Jaden Ivey blocks Kam Jones 's 4-foot driving dunk	29	11
11.1	Pistons defensive team rebound	29	11
11.1	Jarace Walker enters the game for Johnny Furphy	29	11
1.2	Caris LeVert makes 15-foot pullup jump shot	31	11
0.0	End of the 1st Quarter	31	11

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Game Information

Time, Location & Referees

Venue

Little Caesars Arena

Detroit, MI

Date & Time

12:30 AM, January 18, 2026

Coverage

FanDuel SN IN, FanDuel SN DET, NBA League Pass

Attendance

20,062

Referees

J.T. Orr, Mitchell Ervin, Ashley Moyer-Gleich

2025-26 Central Standings

TEAM	W	L	PCT	STRK
Detroit	38	13	.745	W1
Cleveland	32	21	.604	W3
Chicago	24	29	.453	L4
Milwaukee	21	29	.420	W3
Indiana	13	40	.245	L4

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Robinson and Cunningham lead Pistons to rout of shorthanded Pacers, 121-78

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