Hamidou Diallo, whose parents originate from Guinea, had a big night for the Detroit Pistons. He finished off with 34 points and 14 rebounds for almost 50 minutes on the court. His impact was highly felt in defense as the guard ended up with 5 steals and 2 blocks.
The Pistons had to overcome a 17-point deficit, but after a fantastic third quarter, they found themselves on top, 85-81. The hosts came really close to win it all, but allowed the Spurs to make a comeback. The team from Texas even had a shot for the win, but Keldon Johnson missed an alley-oop layup with a second to go.
In the overtime, Hamidou Diallo and Saddiq Bey led the Pistons as both of them dropped 6 points in the extra 5 minutes. With 2.1 seconds on the clock, Saddiq Bey launched a shot from deep range. He sank that clutch 3-pointer, thus giving the Pistons the crucial lead. Keldon Johnson had one last chance to save the Spurs, but his jump shot was inaccurate.
SADDIQ CALLED GAME.@BallySportsDET | @SaddiqBey pic.twitter.com/y80632Eotc
— Detroit Pistons (@DetroitPistons) January 2, 2022
Apart from Hamidou Diallo, Saddiq Bey and Luke Garza finished off with more than 20 points. Bey dropped 21 points, while Garza ended up having 20, as both of them added career-high 14 rebounds each. They became the first trio in 40 years recording at least 20 points and 14 rebounds in a single game in the NBA.
Bryn Forbes was the highest scorer in the game for the San Antonio Spurs. He finished off with 27 points on a 5-10 performance from deep range. Derrick White and Jakob Poeltl ended contributed with double-doubles. White dropped 18 points and gave 14 assists, while the Spurs’ center posted 15 points and 12 rebounds.
The Pistons remain on bottom of the Eastern Conference with just 6 wins out of 34 games. They will travel to Milwaukee on Monday to try their luck against the reigning champions who have won their last six games.
The Spurs are still trying to improve their record as they are currently out of the top 10. The team is 11th with a 14-21 record as they continue their journey on the road against the Toronto Raptors next Tuesday.
Here are Hamidou Diallo’s highlight:
