The Detroit Pistons erased a 19-point deficit and beat the Phoenix Suns 109-107 on Monday night at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan, in their first preseason game of the 2026-27 season, with rookie Ebuka Okorie scoring the winning layup with 5.8 seconds left.
Okorie, the 17th overall pick in June’s draft, did not check in until 10:05 remained in the fourth quarter. He finished with seven points on 3-of-4 shooting, then defended a 3-point try on the Suns’ final possession and forced a miss to seal the win.
Detroit struggled early. The Suns led 68-50 at halftime after out-rebounding the Pistons and piling up second-chance points, and Phoenix stretched the lead to 79-60 midway through the third quarter. The Pistons answered with a 24-5 run to close the period, won the third quarter 34-16 and took the lead in the fourth.
Ron Holland led Detroit with 14 points. Cade Cunningham, Ausar Thompson, John Collins and Paul Reed each scored 10. Both teams rested most of their regulars in the second half, leaving the comeback largely to the bench.
Tempers flared in the first quarter when Collins and Suns forward Dillon Brooks tangled after a rebound. Collins was given a flagrant 1 foul and Brooks a technical.
Center Jalen Duren, who signed a five-year contract last week, did not play. Coach J.B. Bickerstaff said the team plans to ramp Duren up so he is ready for the Oct. 20 regular-season opener. The Pistons finished last season as the top seed in the Eastern Conference with 60 wins.