In what was an instant classic, the Detroit Pistons outlasted the Chicago Bulls in a four overtime game, winning 147-144.
Fast Paced First Half For Both Teams
It was a good offensive first half for both teams as they traded baskets. Early it was the Jimmy Butler and Pau Gasol show for Chicago as they had nine and eight points in the first quarter for the Bulls respectively. The Pistons were led by Andre Drummond who had another big night on the glass.
The teams continued to trade baskets as the first half came to a close. Detroit held a 55-52 lead with Drummond and Gasol leading their teams in scoring with 12 points each.
Another Overtime Between The Bulls And Pistons.
The third quarter was just as close as the first half as the Pistons just kept coming back again and again. It wasn't just Drummond this time, it was Reggie Jackson who helped lead the charge as Chicago held just a 77-74 lead going into the 4th quarter.
Detroit's comeback in the second half was complete with around eight minutes to play in the 4th quarter when Stanley Johnson hit a jumper to give the Pistons a 81-80 lead. Then the teams kept the battling back and forth trend as the game looked to end with a tight finish.
Chicago thought they had a game winner when Pau Gasol to give Chicago a 105-103 lead with a little over 30 seconds left to play. But the Pistons had other ideas as Drummond hit the game tying basket that sent the game into overtime, the second one between these two teams.
Marathon Minutes
The first overtime was a tense affair as both teams did not make many substitutions, and the fatigue was just about to kick in for the starters. With 11 seconds left and down by two, Chicago turned to Pau Gasol again looking for another big shot in clutch time, and the veteran delivered. Reggie Jackson missed a fadeaway jumper on the other end to send the game into double overtime.
Double overtime was just the same as the teams continued to battle. This time it was Detroit's chance to tie the game as Kentavious Caldwell-Pope hit a huge three to tie the game and both teams headed into triple OT tied at 123.
Reggie Jackson Takes Over To Finish Off Chicago
It looked like Chicago should have won the game in the third overtime as they were up by four with around two minutes left. But once again, Detroit battled back with two clutch baskets by Drummond who was a force on the glass all night. Although he fouled out in the fourth overtime, he scored 33 points to lead the Pistons. He also finished with 21 rebounds, 10 of those coming on the offensive glass.
Teams look exhausted after three overtimes as the scoring trended backwards over the three extra periods going down 11 to 7 to 4. It was the Reggie Jackson show in the fourth overtime as the former Oklahoma City Thunder point guard took over as the game slipped away from Chicago. Oddly enough, the scoring picked up in this final period with the teams combining for 37 points in the fourth overtime, only seven less than the first three combined.
But Chicago made things interesting in the end when Butler hit another three, to make it 43 points on the night and to make it a one point game with 4.4 seconds left. After two made free throws by Jackson, Butler had a good final shot to send the game into a fifth overtime, but the shot hit off the rim as Detroit survived what was one of the NBA's best games of the season.
Chicago's only other four-overtime game was a win at Portland on March 16, 1984. There was no record of the Pistons playing a four-overtime game in Detroit's media guide.