The Hawks are fresh off of a 101-88 win over the Milwaukee Bucks and came into Detroit looking to build momentum for the playoffs with a win over the Pistons.
The Pistons got out to a 7-4 start, but Al Horford tied the game up at 10. He had 10 points alone in the first quarter. Atlanta started the game 6 of 7 but fell 20-12 early off of a Reggie Jackson three pointer. Detroit was also hot as they started the game 8 of 9. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope helped build a double digit Pistons lead with a three-ball to make it 25-14 with 5:08 left. Shelvin Mack was also hot for the Hawks as he was able to cut it to 29-22 with 2:24 left. It would soon be 29-26 off of a Thabo Sefolosha layup. The Hawks were on an 8-0 run. The Pistons were then able to extend their lead to 33-28 off of a Andre Drummond dunk. Detroit led Atlanta, 33-28, at the end of the first quarter.
A jumper by DeMarre Carroll made it a 33-30 game early in the second quarter. Tayshaun Prince helped build an eight-point lead off of a three pointer to make it 38-30 with 9:55 left. Paul Millsap quickly answered for Atlanta with an and-one play that made it 38-32. He failed to knock down the layup. The Hawks stormed back, and it was a one point game on an Al Horford jumper to make it 40-39. Detroit's Joel Anthony had an and-one play of his own as he was able to extend the lead to 43-39. The Hawks would then get it down to two off of a Mike Muscala jumper with 3:16 left. A Thabo Sefolosha jumper then tied the game at 47. Kent Bazemore got the Hawks' first lead off of a three pointer at 50-47. The Pistons then went on a 5-0 run to come into halftime with a 52-50 lead.
An early three pointer by Kyle Korver got the Hawks the lead at 55-53. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope took the lead back for Detroit with a three of his own at 68-61 with 8:40 left. Caldwell-Pope totaled 18 points for the game. He would go on to score the next 10 points for Detroit. The Hawks' DeMarre Carroll tied the game up at 63 and then Thabo Sefolosha got the Hawks a three-point lead at 68-65 off of a three pointer. It was all tied up at 72 on an Anthony Tolliver three with 2:30 left. An Andre Drummond and-one play pushed the lead to four at 76-72. Drummond totaled 22 points and 13 rebounds for the game. The Pistons had a 76-72 lead after three quarters.
Andre Drummond quickly got back to work at the beginning of the fourth quarter as he knocked down a layup that increased the lead to 78-72. A Reggie Jackson three pointer extended it to 81-72 with 10:55 left in the period. Tayshaun Prince then slammed it down that got Detroit a double digit lead. Al Horford managed to make the deficit 83-78 with 8:50 left but that was as close as the Hawks were going to get. Detroit built a 96-82 lead with 4:23 left as they were on a 9-0 run. Thabo Sefolosha knocked down a three for Atlanta to make it an eight-point game at 102-94, but it was not enough as Detroit continued to kick their momentum into full gear as they earned the 105-95 win over the first place Hawks.
The Hawks now stand at 56-19. They have the first seed in the East wrapped up and will take on the Nets at home on April 4th. The Nets are in a heated playoff push for the eighth seed as they are one game back of the Boston Celtics. The Pistons have now won five out of their last six games and will face the Hornets at home on April 1st.