Pistons beat Raptors 129-125 as Ebuka Okorie closes out the preseason finale

The Detroit Pistons closed their preseason with a 129-125 win over the Toronto Raptors on Friday night at Little Caesars Arena, but only after rookie guard Ebuka Okorie steadied a lead that had nearly disappeared in the fourth quarter. Detroit finished the exhibition schedule 3-1 and now turns to a regular-season opener against Boston four days later.

The result needs context. Toronto played the second night of a back-to-back and sat its projected starters along with rotation pieces Collin Murray-Boyles, Ja’Kobe Walter and Jamal Shead, so the visitors were essentially a camp roster. Detroit, by contrast, gave its regulars their last tune-up, with Cade Cunningham playing 26 minutes.

How the game turned

The first quarter ended 33-33, and the Pistons slowly built separation from there. They led 59-52 at halftime, won the third quarter 32-28 and carried a 91-80 lead into the fourth, with their biggest margin of the night reaching 14. Detroit shot 58 percent from the field, made 33 of 47 two-pointers and assisted on 29 of its 47 baskets.

Then the offense stalled. Chaz Lanier was the only Pistons player to score in the first six minutes of the fourth quarter, and Toronto pieced together a 21-10 run to turn a comfortable night into a one-possession fight. The Raptors scored 45 points in the period, helped by their work at the free-throw line, where they went 39 of 46 for the game against Detroit’s 21 of 32.

Okorie, who played only the final nine minutes, was the answer. He finished through traffic at the rim, EJ Harkless added a steal at midcourt that he turned into two points, and both made their free throws in the closing moments to seal it. Okorie scored 14 points on 4-of-4 shooting and 5 of 6 at the line in 9:05 of floor time.

Leading performers

Cunningham led Detroit with 18 points and seven assists on 8-of-12 shooting. Jalen Duren added 14 points on 6 of 9 but also committed six turnovers, while John Collins (12 points, eight rebounds) and Ausar Thompson (12 points on 5-of-5 shooting) gave the starters a balanced look. Isaiah Joe hit a buzzer-beater to end the first quarter and scored eight off the bench.

For Toronto, Malachi Smith, a camp signing fighting for a place in the organization, scored a game-high 24 points with seven rebounds on 8-of-17 shooting, including 4 of 7 from three. Trayce Jackson-Davis scored 23 while attempting only six shots, because he went 15 of 16 at the line. Nimari Burnett added 17 points, two steals and two blocks, and Alijah Martin scored 15.

What it means

For Detroit, the takeaway is mixed: the starting group looked sharp, but the second unit’s fourth-quarter drought and 19 team turnovers are worth watching. Defending without Thompson on the floor was the clearest weakness down the stretch. For Toronto, a near-comeback by the deep bench was a useful audition for players chasing two-way and G League spots.

What comes next

The Pistons open the regular season at home against the Boston Celtics on Tuesday, October 20, at 3 p.m. ET (Game Center). The Raptors begin at home against the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday, October 21, at 7:30 p.m. ET (Game Center). The full box score is in the Game Center for Friday’s game.