Wizards Upset Pistons 126 117 in Detroit as Short Handed Washington Delivers Latest Eastern Conference Shakeup

The Washington Wizards delivered a breaking update in the Eastern Conference race Thursday night, upsetting the conference leading Detroit Pistons 126 117 at Little Caesars Arena despite dressing only 10 players following a midweek roster move.

Will Riley scored 20 points and Sharife Cooper added 18 as Washington snapped Detroit’s recent momentum and continued a quiet turnaround after a prolonged losing stretch. The win improved the Wizards to 14 36 and marked their fourth victory in six games, a notable shift after a nine game skid earlier this month. Detroit fell to 37 13, absorbing a loss that carried both short term and longer term implications.

Washington entered the game a day after completing a trade with the Dallas Mavericks and relied heavily on its depth. Three players on two way contracts were active, and the Wizards leaned into their bench early and often. The reserves responded with 69 points, a season high output that proved decisive as Detroit struggled to contain second unit scoring.

Justin Champagnie and Tristan Vukcevic scored 14 points apiece, providing consistent interior pressure and spacing that forced the Pistons into defensive rotations. Washington shot efficiently across all four quarters and maintained pace even when Detroit attempted late game runs.

Cade Cunningham led the Pistons with 30 points, eight rebounds, and eight assists, continuing his All Star caliber season as the engine of Detroit’s offense. However, Detroit went just 9 for 33 from three point range, a 27.3 percent performance that stalled multiple comeback attempts. The Pistons had won five of their previous six games entering the night but could not overcome poor perimeter efficiency.

Center Jalen Duren exited after 13 minutes with knee soreness, finishing with four points and three rebounds. His early departure altered Detroit’s rotation and limited rim protection, an impact that became more evident as Washington attacked the paint in the second half. Duren’s status moving forward will be a key development to monitor in the latest timeline, particularly given Detroit’s compact schedule.

Detroit briefly surged after trailing by 17 in the third quarter, cutting the deficit to 112 107 on a four point play by Duncan Robinson with 4:15 remaining. The momentum was halted moments later when Bilal Coulibaly banked in a three pointer as the shot clock expired, restoring a seven point cushion. Washington closed the game by forcing contested shots and limiting second chance opportunities.

From a broader impact perspective, the loss does little to damage Detroit’s standing but highlights potential vulnerabilities if injuries persist and three point efficiency lags. For Washington, the outlook continues to improve as younger players assume larger roles and the rotation stabilizes following recent transactions.

What this means moving forward is a short term confidence boost for the Wizards and a reminder for Detroit of the thin margin at the top of the conference.

Next steps come quickly, with Washington traveling to Brooklyn on Saturday and the Pistons returning home to host New York on Friday night as both teams navigate the next phase of the season.