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Detroit Pistons Clap Back at Lakers Great After Win vs Miami Heat

The Detroit Pistons took a shot at Shaq after beating the Heat.
Justin Grasso|
Mar 19, 2025; Miami, Florida, USA; Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (2) celebrates with forward Tim Hardaway Jr. (8), forward Tobias Harris (12) and other teammates after scoring the game-winning basket against the Miami Heat during the fourth quarter at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
Mar 19, 2025; Miami, Florida, USA; Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (2) celebrates with forward Tim Hardaway Jr. (8), forward Tobias Harris (12) and other teammates after scoring the game-winning basket against the Miami Heat during the fourth quarter at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

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Detroit PistonsLos Angeles Lakers

Shaquille O’Neal’s comments about the Detroit Pistons might’ve hit a nerve with the fan base, but the team took it in stride. Just days after Shaq suggested the Pistons were a boring team to watch this season, Detroit center Jalen Duren brushed it off.

“When it’s time, I just want both the clips back-to-back of when he realizes we’re here and when he acts like he didn’t know,” Duren told Eric Woodyard.

The Pistons are confident in their status as a competitive and entertaining team this season. On Wednesday night against the Miami Heat, Detroit once again proved that Shaq’s opinion on them is misguided.

After the game, the Pistons sent some shots at the former Los Angeles Lakers legend.

via @DetroitPistons: so fun being boring

The Pistons went down to the wire with the Heat on the road on Wednesday night. With just seconds left on the clock, the Pistons had one final possession to put points on the board, or else the game was headed for overtime.

The one-time All-Star Cade Cunningham got the ball and found success on his final three-point shot. With a dagger, Cunningham and the Pistons put the Heat away with a 116-113 victory. Now, the Pistons are 39-31, looking at a potential path to move out of the sixth seed to go as high as the fourth seed potentially soon.

While the record likely wouldn’t impress Shaq, who doesn’t care much about the Pistons since he doesn’t believe they are championship-caliber right now, Detroit continues to look like one of the best risers in the NBA right now.

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Justin Grasso
JUSTIN GRASSO

Justin Grasso was a credentialed writer and publisher covering the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated’s 76ers On SI Network. Grasso got his start in sports media in 2016 with FantasyPros, working the news desk, providing game-by-game player analysis and updates on the Portland Trail Blazers and the Golden State Warriors. By 2017, he joined FanSided’s Philadelphia Eagles site as a staff writer. After spending one season covering the Eagles as a staff writer, Grasso was promoted to become the site’s Co-Editor. For the next two NFL seasons, he covered the Eagles closely before broadening his NFL coverage. For a brief stint, Grasso covered the NFL on a national basis after joining Heavy.com as an NFL news desk writer. In 2019, Grasso joined the 76ers' beat on a part-time basis, stepping into a role with South Jersey’s 97.3 ESPN. Ahead of the 2019-2020 NBA season, he concluded a three-year stint covering the Eagles and joined the Sixers beat full-time. Grasso has covered the 76ers exclusively since then for Sports Illustrated. He is a member of the Pro Basketball Writers Association. Twitter: @JGrasso_ Instagram: @JGrassoMedia

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