How Detroit Pistons Comeback Bid Fell Short Against Atlanta Hawks in Overtime

The Detroit Pistons' four-game winning streak came to a close on Wednesday night with a 130-129 overtime loss to an emerging Atlanta Hawks squad.

Mar 25, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard CJ McCollum (3) dribbles defended by Detroit Pistons forward Duncan Robinson (55) in the second half at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

The Detroit Pistons four-game winning streak came to a close on Wednesday night at Little Caesars Arena, as the Atlanta Hawks won a 130-129 overtime thriller, as Jalen Duren’s put-back layup came up an inch short.  

It was a tale of two halves for the Pistons. After trailing 73-55 at halftime, the Pistons used a 30-5 run in the third quarter to retake the lead. The Hawks, however, were able to gather themselves as CJ McCollum’s 11 straight points in the final minutes of the fourth quarter helped Atlanta force overtime and ultimately earn the impressive road victory. 

McCollum finished the game tied with Jalen Johnson as the Hawks' leading scorers in the win, scoring 27 points. With the win, the Hawks have emerged as one of the hottest teams in the NBA in the second half of the season.

The Hawks have won 13 of their last 14 games, and with the win over the Pistons, they’re in great shape to avoid the NBA Play-In tournament by earning an automatic berth in the first round as a top-six seed. 

Pistons Show Great Team Chemistry In Loss To Hawks

Despite losing their first game since Cade Cunningham’s collapsed lung diagnosis, the Pistons are in great shape to secure the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference and showed impressive team chemistry while coming up short against the Hawks. 

All five Pistons starters scored in double figures with Jalen Duren leading the way, scoring 26 points, 14 rebounds, and three assists on 9-of-15 shooting from the field. Tobias Harris (22 points) and Danniss Jenkins (19 points) also played a big role in the Pistons' second-half comeback to force overtime.    

In addition to Jenkins' 19 points, he recorded a double-double, adding 10 assists in the loss. Ausar Thompson also made an impact defensively. Adding to his 18 points, he recorded four steals and a blocked shot. Duncan Robinson also scored 17 points for the Pistons. 

With the loss, the Pistons now post a 52-20 overall record and are four games ahead of the Boston Celtics for the top seed in the Eastern Conference. The Celtics earned an impressive 119-109 home victory over the Oklahoma City on Wednesday night and reached a game closer to the Pistons for the No. 1 seed.

The Pistons will have a quick turnaround as they’ll face the New Orleans Pelicans on Thursday night, with the tipoff from Little Caesars Arena set for 7:00 p.m ET.