On January 10, 2025, Beijing time, the Pistons with a record of 19 wins and 18 losses hosted the Warriors with an identical record. The Warriors were currently on a two-game losing streak and were eager for a strong comeback. The Pistons were playing back-to-back games (against the Nets the previous day), so their energy was not as good as the Warriors. However, they had won five consecutive games and were in excellent form. It would be very difficult for the Warriors to defeat the Pistons away from home. The Warriors were missing Wiggins, Kuminga, and Pojim, with their starting lineup consisting of Curry, Schroder, Hield, Green, and Davis. The Pistons were without Ivey and Hardaway, with their starting lineup featuring Cunningham, Beasley, Osal, Harris, and Duren.
In the first quarter, Hield scored a layup, while Harris and Duren responded with five points. Green made a hook shot, but Beasley, Osal, and Cunningham replied, giving the Pistons a 12-4 lead. Davis and Curry then scored six points to reduce the gap to two points. After a timeout, Harris and Beasley extended the lead to seven points. Green, Curry, and Santos responded with a 9-0 run to take a two-point lead. Cunningham made a mid-range shot, followed by responses from Li Kaili and Davis, leaving the Warriors ahead by five points. Holland hit a three-pointer, ending the first quarter with the Warriors leading 25-23.
In the second quarter, Curry and Santos hit three-pointers, extending the Warriors' lead to eight points. Holland and Stewart scored, but Spencer, Looney, and Hield responded, maintaining a nine-point lead and forcing a timeout. After the break, Fontejo and Beasley reduced the deficit to four points. Hield and Schroder then increased the lead to nine points. Cunningham made a mid-range shot, but Santos and Walters hit back-to-back three-pointers, widening the gap to 18 points. Osal scored five points in a row, followed by free throws from Green and a three-pointer from Walters, keeping the lead at 17 points. Sather and Harris scored seven points, concluding the half with the Warriors leading 57-47.
In the third quarter, Hield scored eight points in a row. Beasley, Osal, and Cunningham tried to catch up, but the gap remained at 12 points. Davis dunked and Schroder hit a three-pointer, increasing the lead to 17 points. After another timeout, Harris, Holland, and Cunningham went on an 11-0 run to reduce the deficit to six points. Following another timeout, Looney continued scoring and Li Kaili dunked, while Beasley and Cunningham tried to close the gap. The quarter ended with the Warriors leading 82-74.
In the fourth quarter, Cunningham and Holland scored four points, reducing the gap to four points. However, Santos, Davis, Green, and Hield responded with a 10-0 run, extending the lead to 14 points. Cunningham made a layup, but Curry scored six points in a row, increasing the lead to 18 points. Duren, Cunningham, and Beasley then went on an 11-0 run to reduce the gap to seven points. Schroder and Davis scored, while Cunningham and Duren tried to catch up, leaving the gap at four points. Schroder made a layup, but Cunningham and Beasley scored four points in a row, reducing the gap to two points with 23 seconds left. After a timeout, Curry made both free throws, maintaining a four-point lead. Cunningham made one of two free throws, followed by one successful free throw each from Santos and Cunningham. The game ended with the Warriors defeating the Pistons 107-104, refusing a big comeback.
Curry scored 17 points, 10 rebounds, 6 assists, and 2 steals on 5 out of 21 shooting, struggling with his shooting accuracy. Hield contributed 19 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists, while Davis added 14 points, 10 rebounds, and 3 assists. Schroder had 13 points and 6 assists. Santos, who made all four of his shots (all three-pointers), scored 13 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals, setting new personal records for points, rebounds, assists, and steals this season. Walters chipped in with 11 points and 2 rebounds, becoming a key player.
Cunningham scored 32 points, 6 rebounds, 8 assists, and 3 steals on 12 out of 21 shooting. Beasley added 21 points and 4 rebounds, Harris contributed 13 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists, Osal had 9 points, 2 rebounds, and 3 assists, and Duren finished with 8 points, 12 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 blocks.
Despite Curry's off-night shooting, the Warriors managed to defeat the Pistons, creating a miracle due to the contributions from other players. In the previous two games, Curry had high efficiency, but the Warriors suffered defeats against the Kings and Heat because the other players did not perform well. The Warriors' management has come to realize that unless they make trades, they can only continue with an all-for-one strategy to have a chance at winning. However, this approach is unstable and may fail against strong defensive teams. If the Warriors want to be truly competitive this season, they might need to make significant trades.
After the win, the Warriors remain ninth in the Western Conference, while the Pistons drop from eighth to ninth in the Eastern Conference. The Hawks have become the new eighth-place team, although their ranking could still change as they also have a game today.