DETROIT (AP) — Duncan Robinson and Cade Cunningham each scored 16 points in limited minutes as the Detroit Pistons routed the shorthanded Indiana Pacers 121-78 on Saturday night at Little Caesars Arena.
The 43-point margin matched the ninth-biggest win in Pistons franchise history.
The Pacers played without their four leading scorers, with Pascal Siakam resting and Benedict Mathurin (thumb), Andrew Nembhard (back) and Obi Toppin (foot) dealing with injuries. T.J. McConnell, who is sixth on the team in scoring and second in assists, also sat out with a knee problem.
Jalen Duren had 15 points and eight rebounds for Detroit, which got points from 13 players. as the Pistons won for the fifth time in six games.
Jarace Walker led Indiana with 13 points and Tony Bradley added 12. The Pacers had won four of five.
Detroit led by as many as 44 points in the third quarter, around the time that Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff pulled his starters for the night. Duren led the starters with 23 minutes and Cunningham and Robinson were the only others to reach 20.
Indiana started the game looking like a team using a G-League roster. They missed 10 of their first 11 shots and turned the ball over five times as Detroit built a 24-2 lead in the first seven minutes.
It was 59-25 at the half, thanks to the Pacers shooting 23.3% (10-43) from the floor, including 6% (1-18) on 3-pointers, and missing seven of 11 free throws. Cunningham (11), Robinson (10) and Duren (9) outscored the Indiana roster 30-25.
The 25 points was Detroit's best defensive half by 11 points and Indiana's worst offensive half by nine points.
Indiana: Play their third game in four nights on Monday in Philadelphia.
Detroit: Host the Boston Celtics on Monday.
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA
Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (2) goes to the basket against Indiana Pacers guard Quenton Jackson (29) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson)
Detroit Pistons center Jalen Duren (0) takes a shot against Indiana Pacers forward Isaiah Jackson (22) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson)
DENVER (AP) — Bo Nix broke his right ankle late in overtime of the Denver Broncos' divisional-round victory over Buffalo on Saturday and will have surgery that will sideline him for the rest of the playoffs.
Coach Sean Payton delivered the stunning news about his second-year quarterback in the aftermath of Denver's biggest win in a decade. Backup Jarrett Stidham, who's 1-3 as a starter in six seasons, will start the AFC championship game next weekend.
“Stiddy’s ready,” Payton said after returning to the postgame lectern to discuss the injury following Denver's 33-30 victory over Josh Allen and the Bills.
Payton said Nix got hurt on a keeper where he lost 2 yards and was tackled by safety Cole Bishop. Nix was limping after the play, but there was no indication that he suffered such a serious injury.
On the next play, Nix threw a deep pass to Marvin Mims Jr. that drew a 30-yard pass-interference flag and got the Broncos well into field-goal range. Nix then took a knee to center the ball for Wil Lutz's game-ending 23-yard field goal.
Payton said Nix will have surgery Tuesday in Birmingham, Alabama.
“He's such a strong, faith-based guy,” Payton said. “He's sitting in the hallway with his family and coming over and we're all talking to him. He knows that God's got a plan for him and he said he had (a broken ankle) in high school and then he said he had one at Auburn.
“And I said I didn't realize that. I said if I had known that I wouldn't have drafted you,” Payton cracked.
Nix said nothing about being hurt during a postgame interview with CBS, and he sounded like he was looking forward to the next game.
“It’s great to have home-field advantage in a situation like this. It’s exciting. This is why you play the game, this is why you compete. You get to playoff football, and good things happen,” Nix said.
The locker room had cleared out and reporters were waiting in an interview room for Nix when Payton returned and delivered the news.
Nix, the 12th overall pick out of Oregon in the 2024 NFL draft, tied Russell Wilson's NFL record with two dozen victories in his first two seasons. Saturday's victory was his first in the playoffs. The Broncos lost last year at Buffalo but Nix led Denver to the AFC's top seed this season.
“He's a tough cookie,” Payton said. “And this team all year has lost key players and will rise up for the next challenge.”
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL
Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix leaves the field after an NFL divisional round playoff football game against the Buffalo Bills, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)
Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix celebrates after a touchdown during the second half of an NFL divisional round playoff football game against the Buffalo Bills, Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) greets Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (10) after an NFL divisional round playoff football game, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)
Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix celebrates after an NFL divisional round playoff football game against the Buffalo Bills, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)
