John Collins scores season-high to lead Pistons to victory over Wizards

DETROIT — Coach J.B. Bickerstaff was speechless when asked about the Detroit Pistons ' slow starts. He offered no response after the Pistons scored just 14 first-quarter points in Sunday night's loss to the Los Angeles Lakers . Twenty-four hours later, Bickerstaff addressed the Pistons' poor start by changing his starting lineup, which included Daniss Jenkins replacing Paul Reed. The decision left the Pistons with a considerable size disadvantage against one of the league's tallest teams. However, this strategy led to one of their most productive first quarters of the season and a 122-111 victory on Monday night, Nov. 9, inside Little Caesars Arena. Bickerstaff's lineup change addressed the Pistons' struggles that led to their recent two-game losing streak; however, it seemed to benefit John Collins the most. Collins came into the game having scored in double figures once over the previous six games and averaging 6.3 points and 4.7 rebounds. The game against the Lakers was arguably Collins' worst performance, and at times he looked visibly upset with his play. Against the Wizards, Collins set an early tone for the Pistons by scoring nine of the team's first 18 points. Each time the Wizards tried to mount a rally, Collins either scored a timely basket or his defense helped stop Washington's run. While starting at center amid Bickerstaff's lineup change, Collins finished with a season-high 24 points on 9-for-13 shooting and 10 rebounds. The highlight of the night that showcased Collins' motivation to bounce back came at 7:19 in the first quarter, when he completed an alley-oop from Ausar Thompson. The basket forced Wizards coach Brian Keefe to call a timeout. As players walked back to their benches, Collins celebrated passionately. Duncan Robinson continued his impressive start to the season, adding 22 points on 4-for-8 shooting from three, while Jenkins followed up his career performance against the Lakers with 20 points on 7-for-16 shooting, plus eight assists and five rebounds. The main criticism of Collins was his inability to defend Anthony Davis, which also highlighted a broader issue for Detroit. Returning from a two-game absence due to a foot injury, Davis showed why the Pistons reportedly pursued him at the trade deadline last year, finishing with a season-high 44 points on 16-for-20 shooting and 13 rebounds. He scored 30 points on 10-for-11 shooting in the first half. Davis scored effortlessly from the inside, taking advantage of the Pistons' lack of size, especially without Jalen Duren, who missed his eighth straight game with a hamstring strain. Trae Young put together an inefficient 20 points on 3-for-10 shooting from beyond the arc, but the Wizards also showcased why they have a bright future: AJ Dybantsa, the reigning No. 1 pick of the 2026 NBA Draft. He contributed 21 points on 8-for-17 shooting and eight rebounds. "His willingness to compete and take challenges," Bickerstaff said. "When you watch him, when he is guarding elite players in this league, he doesn't back down. He has great size, length and athleticism. He always seems to be in the right spots. He takes on challenges. He doesn't run from the superstars of this league." Observations and notes ▶ Okorie gets playing time : Changing the starting lineup wasn't the only adjustment Bickerstaff made in his rotation against the Wizards. At the start of the fourth quarter, Bickerstaff called upon rookie guard Ebuka Okorie, giving him the most significant minutes of his young career. With two minutes left, Okorie contributed to the Pistons' offense by scoring his first career field goal on an up-and-under layup attempt. Although it was a good sign to see Bickerstaff give Okorie minutes, his playing time may have stemmed from Cunningham's foul trouble, as he had five by the start of the final period. He played five minutes and finished with five points on 2-for-2 shooting. ▶ A rough outing for Ausar Thompson : Despite finishing with eight points, four rebounds, and three assists, Ausar Thompson did not perform at his usual level. He missed several shots at the basket, including a transition layup attempt at the start of the fourth quarter, even though he had good elevation. On a few occasions, Thompson's mishaps visibly frustrated Bickerstaff. coty.davis@detroitnews.com @cotydavis_24