SAN FRANCISCO — The final play had been drawn for Bojan Bogdanovic, then Saddiq Bey suddenly found the ball in his hands with no time to think, so he just let it fly.
Bey hit a 3-pointer falling backward as time expired after Golden State’s Klay Thompson tied it on a 3 with 2.3 seconds left, sending the Detroit Pistons past the Warriors 122-119 on Wednesday night.
“It was tough, I don’t even remember I kind of blacked out a little bit,” Bey said. “I had one second so I didn’t have that much time to think, so I had to shoot it so I’m just grateful it went in.”
Detroit ended the injury-plagued defending champions’ season-best winning streak at five. Reigning NBA Finals MVP Stephen Curry missed his 10th straight game with a partially dislocated left shoulder and is set to be re-examined Saturday at the two-week mark from his last evaluation.
“I just told the guys how proud I am of them for holding down the fort these last couple weeks,” coach Steve Kerr said.
Bey made another key 3 late and wound up with 17 points, Bogdanovic hit his first five 3-pointers and one with 3:42 left on the way to 29 points to lead six Pistons in double figures.
PHOTOS: Bey beats buzzer with 3, Pistons beat Warriors 122-119
“Saddiq popped back to get open and had the presence of mind to get it off quick enough,” Pistons coach Dwane Casey said.
Thompson secured a defensive rebound with 27 seconds left but Jordan Poole turned the ball over before the Warriors could attempt a shot. Thompson scored on a layup with 40 seconds left to pull Golden State to 117-116 then delivered again - and the Warriors appeared headed to overtime for a second straight game after holding off Atlanta 143-141 in double-OT on Monday night.
“It never feels good,” Thompson said. “I thought we fought very hard tonight.”
Extra basketball might have been welcome with an atypical severe winter rain and windstorm hitting the Bay Area to greet fans afterward.
Thompson missed his first six 3-point tries then hit two big ones down the stretch on the way to 30 points, but the Warriors couldn’t make the key defensive plays late on the perimeter against Detroit’s shooters. Thompson made a go-ahead dunk with 7:33 to play and finally hit his first 3-pointer with 5:15 remaining coming off his season-best 54-point performance against the Hawks.
Draymond Green was ejected with 1:24 to play for his second technical of the game.
Poole added 24 points in his seventh straight 20-point game to go with six assists and five rebounds as the Warriors dropped to 17-3 at home as their six-game winning streak at Chase Center ended.
Jalen Duren added 18 points and 11 rebounds for the Pistons, coming off a 135-106 loss at Portland on Monday night.
Undermanned Golden State again demonstrated its amazing depth - Ty Jerome scored 18 points off the bench and Anthony Lamb added 17.
Lamb credited Bey for getting through the Warriors’ switching defense: “He had just enough time to get it off, a turnaround shot, a great shot by him.”
Killian Hayes hit a key 3-pointer with 6:21 left and contributed 13 assists and nine points while returning to Detroit’s starting lineup following a three-game suspension for his actions scuffling against Orlando last week.
TIP-INS
Pistons: F Marvin Bagley III missed the game after breaking a bone in his right hand. … F Isaiah Livers went through some drills Wednesday with the training staff as he rehabs a right shoulder sprain. “He’s coming along well,” Casey said. … The Pistons improved to 6-17 on the road. … Detroit had lost the last two on the Warriors’ home floor and 10 of 12 before prevailing.
Warriors: Durable Kevon Looney, whose tip-in at the buzzer sealed the double-OT victory against Atlanta, played his 150th consecutive regular-season game, second-longest active streak behind Suns forward Mikal Bridges. It’s 172 in a row for Looney including playoffs. … Donte DiVincenzo’s streak of at least one steal ended at 13 games.
UP NEXT
Pistons: Wrap up a five-game trip at San Antonio on Friday night.
Warriors: Host Magic on Saturday night having lost two straight meetings but with wins vs. Orlando in the last nine at home.
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