Hawks pull away late, send Pistons to 9th straight loss

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Nov 6, 2023; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Atlanta Hawks head coach Quin Snyder talks with Atlanta Hawks forward De'Andre Hunter (12) and guard Dejounte Murray (5) during a break in play against the Oklahoma City Thunder in the second quarter at Paycom Center.
Nov 6, 2023; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Atlanta Hawks head coach Quin Snyder talks with Atlanta Hawks forward De'Andre Hunter (12) and guard Dejounte Murray (5) during a break in play against the Oklahoma City Thunder in the second quarter at Paycom Center.
Image: Alonzo Adams-USA TODAY Sports

Dejounte Murray scored 32 points and dished out nine assists as the visiting Atlanta Hawks handed the Detroit Pistons their ninth straight loss, 126-120 on Tuesday.

Saddiq Bey supplied 19 points and Bogdan Bogdanovic tossed in 17 for the Hawks in their NBA in-season tournament opener. Atlanta's De'Andre Hunter and Jalen Johnson contributed 16 apiece.

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The Hawks, who finished the game with a 10-3 run, played without star guard Trae Young, who missed the contest for personal reasons. The Pistons didn't have starting center Jalen Duren, who is nursing an ankle injury.

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Marvin Bagley led Detroit with 22 points and 10 rebounds. Ausar Thompson had 21 points, eight rebounds, five assists and three steals for the Pistons, who are 0-2 in the tournament.

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Alec Burks added 16 points, but Detroit star Cade Cunningham was limited to nine points (on 4-of-14 shooting) and 12 assists.

Atlanta led by as much as 12 in the early going but settled for a 64-60 halftime advantage. Murray piled up 17 points and five assists prior to the break, and Bogdanovic had 15 first-half points.

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Detroit began the second half with an 8-2 run, including a pair of Bagley baskets. A Thompson layup soon increased Detroit's lead to five.

The Hawks moved back on top 84-81 when Hunter fired in a 3-pointer. Murray made a short jumper with three minutes left in the quarter for a five-point lead.

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Bey drained a 3-pointer a minute later for a 93-85 edge. Atlanta carried a 97-91 lead into the fourth.

A steal by Murray and layup by Bey upped the lead to 105-96.

Cunningham knocked down a 3-pointer with just under seven minutes left to cut the Pistons' deficit to 107-103.

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A Cunningham layup with 5 1/2 minutes left made it a one-point spread. The Hawks clung to the lead until Kevin Knox's fastbreak dunk gave Detroit a 117-116 advantage with two minutes to go.

Hunter answered with a jumper, and after a Cunningham miss, Murray set up Clint Capela for a dunk with just under a minute to play.

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Another empty Pistons possession was followed by two Murray free throws to make it 122-117 with 30 seconds left.

—Field Level Media