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Pistons wrap up their first playoff spot since 2018-19 with 117-105 victory over the Raptors

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Pistons wrap up their first playoff spot since 2018-19 with 117-105 victory over the Raptors
Sport

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Pistons wrap up their first playoff spot since 2018-19 with 117-105 victory over the Raptors

2025-04-05 10:40 Last Updated At:10:50

TORONTO (AP) — Tim Hardaway Jr. scored 23 points, Jalen Duren had 21 points and 18 rebounds and the Detroit Pistons beat the Toronto Raptors 117-105 on Friday night to wrap up their first playoff berth since 2018-19.

Malik Beasley scored 21 points for the Pistons, and Dennis Schroeder added 16.

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Toronto Raptors guard Immanuel Quickley (5) drives into Detroit Pistons forward Simone Fontecchio, top, during first-half NBA basketball game action in Toronto, Friday, April 4, 2025. (Arlyn McAdorey/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Raptors guard Immanuel Quickley (5) drives into Detroit Pistons forward Simone Fontecchio, top, during first-half NBA basketball game action in Toronto, Friday, April 4, 2025. (Arlyn McAdorey/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Raptors guard A.J. Lawson (0) scores past Detroit Pistons forward Tim Hardaway Jr. (8) during first-half NBA basketball game action in Toronto, Friday, April 4, 2025. (Arlyn McAdorey/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Raptors guard A.J. Lawson (0) scores past Detroit Pistons forward Tim Hardaway Jr. (8) during first-half NBA basketball game action in Toronto, Friday, April 4, 2025. (Arlyn McAdorey/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Raptors guard Ja'Kobe Walter, left, drives around Detroit Pistons forward Tim Hardaway Jr., front right, during first-half NBA basketball game action in Toronto, Friday, April 4, 2025. (Arlyn McAdorey/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Raptors guard Ja'Kobe Walter, left, drives around Detroit Pistons forward Tim Hardaway Jr., front right, during first-half NBA basketball game action in Toronto, Friday, April 4, 2025. (Arlyn McAdorey/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Raptors guard Immanuel Quickley (5) drives against Detroit Pistons forward Tim Hardaway Jr. (8) during first-half NBA basketball game action in Toronto, Friday, April 4, 2025. (Arlyn McAdorey/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Raptors guard Immanuel Quickley (5) drives against Detroit Pistons forward Tim Hardaway Jr. (8) during first-half NBA basketball game action in Toronto, Friday, April 4, 2025. (Arlyn McAdorey/The Canadian Press via AP)

Detroit Pistons guard Malik Beasley (5) shoots between Toronto Raptors center Jakob Poeltl (19) and Jonathan Mogbo (2) during first-half NBA basketball game action in Toronto, Friday, April 4, 2025. (Arlyn McAdorey/The Canadian Press via AP)

Detroit Pistons guard Malik Beasley (5) shoots between Toronto Raptors center Jakob Poeltl (19) and Jonathan Mogbo (2) during first-half NBA basketball game action in Toronto, Friday, April 4, 2025. (Arlyn McAdorey/The Canadian Press via AP)

Detroit won a franchise-worst 14 games last season, enduring an NBA-record 28-game losing streak in the process.

All-Star guard Cade Cunningham remained sidelined because of a bruised left calf, missing his sixth straight game. The Pistons also were without Tobias Harris (right heel).

Ja’Kobe Walter scored 22 points for Toronto. Immanuel Quickley and Jamal Shead each had 14 as the Raptors lost their third straight.

Toronto’s Scottie Barnes (right hand) was not available on the second night of a back-to-back, while RJ Barrett and Ochai Agbaji both sat for rest.

The Raptors lost their 50th game, the eighth time in 30 seasons they’ve lost at least 50. Toronto has lost 50 or more in back-to-back years for the first time since its first three NBA seasons, from 1995-96 to 1997-98.

Pistons: Isaiah Stewart served the second game of a two-game suspension for his role in a March 30 altercation at Minnesota. Ron Holland II and Marcus Sasser returned after serving their one-game penalties in Wednesday’s loss at Oklahoma City.

Raptors: Coach Darko Rajakovic said Brandon Ingram (left ankle) is improving but isn’t likely to return this season. Rajakovic also said Gradey Dick (bone bruise, right knee) will not play in Toronto’s final four games. The second-year guard has been out since March 2.

Toronto used a 9-0 spurt to cut the deficit to four, 95-91, with 8:13 left in the fourth quarter. Ausar Thompson scored twice as the Pistons answered by scoring eight of the next 10 points.

The Pistons have won six consecutive meetings with the Raptors.

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba

Toronto Raptors guard Immanuel Quickley (5) drives into Detroit Pistons forward Simone Fontecchio, top, during first-half NBA basketball game action in Toronto, Friday, April 4, 2025. (Arlyn McAdorey/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Raptors guard Immanuel Quickley (5) drives into Detroit Pistons forward Simone Fontecchio, top, during first-half NBA basketball game action in Toronto, Friday, April 4, 2025. (Arlyn McAdorey/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Raptors guard A.J. Lawson (0) scores past Detroit Pistons forward Tim Hardaway Jr. (8) during first-half NBA basketball game action in Toronto, Friday, April 4, 2025. (Arlyn McAdorey/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Raptors guard A.J. Lawson (0) scores past Detroit Pistons forward Tim Hardaway Jr. (8) during first-half NBA basketball game action in Toronto, Friday, April 4, 2025. (Arlyn McAdorey/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Raptors guard Ja'Kobe Walter, left, drives around Detroit Pistons forward Tim Hardaway Jr., front right, during first-half NBA basketball game action in Toronto, Friday, April 4, 2025. (Arlyn McAdorey/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Raptors guard Ja'Kobe Walter, left, drives around Detroit Pistons forward Tim Hardaway Jr., front right, during first-half NBA basketball game action in Toronto, Friday, April 4, 2025. (Arlyn McAdorey/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Raptors guard Immanuel Quickley (5) drives against Detroit Pistons forward Tim Hardaway Jr. (8) during first-half NBA basketball game action in Toronto, Friday, April 4, 2025. (Arlyn McAdorey/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Raptors guard Immanuel Quickley (5) drives against Detroit Pistons forward Tim Hardaway Jr. (8) during first-half NBA basketball game action in Toronto, Friday, April 4, 2025. (Arlyn McAdorey/The Canadian Press via AP)

Detroit Pistons guard Malik Beasley (5) shoots between Toronto Raptors center Jakob Poeltl (19) and Jonathan Mogbo (2) during first-half NBA basketball game action in Toronto, Friday, April 4, 2025. (Arlyn McAdorey/The Canadian Press via AP)

Detroit Pistons guard Malik Beasley (5) shoots between Toronto Raptors center Jakob Poeltl (19) and Jonathan Mogbo (2) during first-half NBA basketball game action in Toronto, Friday, April 4, 2025. (Arlyn McAdorey/The Canadian Press via AP)

Next Article

Nations puzzle over how to respond to US trade war as global markets implode

2025-04-07 22:39 Last Updated At:22:41

BRUSSELS (AP) — America’s trading partners wrestled with responses to U.S. President Donald Trump’sblast of tariff hikes and some planned to send negotiators to Washington, while the head of the European Union’s executive commission offered mutual reduction of tariffs to zero on some goods.

“We stand ready to negotiate with the United States,” said commission President Ursula von der Leyen. “Indeed, we have offered zero for zero tariffs for industrial goods, as we have successfully done with many other trading partners. Because Europe is always ready for a good deal.”

But she warned that “we are also prepared to respond through countermeasures and defend our interests.”

China has already hit back against the U.S. with retaliatory tariffs and similar actions from Europe and elsewhere remain a significant possibility.

The U.S. and the EU had a zero-for-zero deal on wine and spirits from 1997 to 2018, and reducing many tariffs to zero was a goal of complex negotiations for a US-Europe free-trade deal before negotiations stalled in 2016, during the first term if U.S. President Donald Trump.

Yet there was little indication Trump is ready to deal. The EU trade commissioner, Maros Sefcovic, spoke for two hours with Trump administration Friday and would say only that “we stay in touch.”

And White House trade adviser Peter Navarro told CNBC on Monday that an offer by Vietnam to eliminate tariffs on U.S. imports would not lead to a pullback on the the newly announced 46% levy on its imports to the U.S.

“Let’s take Vietnam. When they come to us and say ‘we’ll go to zero tariffs,’ that means nothing to us because it’s the non-tariff cheating that matters,” Navarro said on CNBC

Major trade partner China was taking a tougher line and accused the U.S. of “bullying” after imposing a 34% tariff on Friday on all US goods, the exact same rate Trump slapped China with in his latest round of new import taxes.

Several other countries said they were sending trade officials to Washington to try to talk through the crisis, which has cast uncertainty over the global economic outlook, hammered markets and left U.S. allies wondering about the value of their ties with the world's largest economy.

European Union trade ministers were closeted Monday in Luxembourg to weigh possible steps that could include taxes on U.S. tech companies like Google, Apple and Amazon. The European Union’s executive commission - which handles trade issues for the 27-country bloc - is set to impose tariffs on Jeans, whiskey and motorcycles on Wednesday in response to Trumps increase in steel and aluminum tariffs.

But it hasn't decided a response yet to Trump's “reciprocal” tariff of 20% on European goods announced Wednesday and a 25% tariff imposed on autos from everywhere. French officials have raised imposing tariffs on services like internet commerce or financial services, where the U.S. sells more than it buys from Europe and is in theory more vulnerable than in goods trade.

Germany’s economy minister, Robert Habeck, was defiant as he arrived, saying the premise of the wide-ranging tariffs was “nonsense” and that attempts by individual countries to win exemptions haven’t worked in the past.

It's important for the EU to stick together, he said. That “means being clear that we are in a strong position — America is in a position of weakness.”

So far the European approach has been to selectively target politically sensitive goods rather than impose sweeping retaliation since like most economists officials they view tariff wars as a lose-lose game.

China, which hit back Friday at Washington with 34% tariffs on U.S. products and other retaliatory moves, sharply accused the U.S. of failing to play fair. “Putting ‘America First’ over international rules is a typical act of unilateralism, protectionism and economic bullying,” Foreign Affairs spokesperson Lin Jian told reporters.

The ruling Communist Party struck a note of confidence even as markets in Hong Kong and Shanghai crumpled. “The sky won't fall,” declared The People’s Daily, the party's official mouthpiece. “Faced with the indiscriminate punches of U.S. taxes, we know what we are doing and we have tools at our disposal.”

China’s Commerce Ministry said officials met with representatives of 20 American businesses including Tesla and GE Healthcare over the weekend and urged them to take “concrete actions” to address the tariffs issue.

During the meeting, Ling Ji, a vice minister of commerce, promised that China will remain open to foreign investment, according to the readout by the ministry.

South Korea’s Trade Ministry said its top negotiator, Inkyo Cheong, will visit Washington this week to express Seoul’s concerns over the 25% tariffs on Korean goods and discuss ways to mitigate the damage to South Korean businesses, which include major automakers and steel makers. Asian countries are among the most exposed to Trump's tariffs ranging from a baseline 10% to 50% since their export-oriented economies send a lot of goods to the U.S.

Pakistan also planned to send a delegation to Washington this month to try negotiate over the 29% tariffs on its exports to the U.S., officials said. The prime minister ordered Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb to assess the tariff's potential impact on Pakistan's fragile economy and draw up recommendations.

The U.S. imports around $5 billion worth of textiles and other products each year from Pakistan, which heavily relies on loans from the International Monetary Fund and other lenders.

In Southeast Asia, Malaysia’s Trade Minister Zafrul Abdul Aziz said his country will seek to forge a united response from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to Trump's sweeping tariffs.

As chair of the 10-nation body this year, Malaysia will lead a meeting Thursday in its capital Kuala Lumpur to discuss broader implications of the trade war on regional trade and investment, Zafrul told reporters.

“We are looking at the investment flows, macroeconomic stability and ASEAN's coordinated response to this tariff issue,” Zafrul said.

He said that he had met with the U.S. ambassador to Malaysia to try to clarify how the U.S. came up with its 24% tariff.

Indonesia, one of the region's biggest economies, said it would work with businesses to increase its imports of U.S. wheat, cotton, oil and gas to help reduce its trade surplus, which was $18 billion in 2024.

Coordinating Economic Affairs Minister Airlangga Hartarto told a news conference that Indonesia will not retaliate against the new 32% tariff on Indonesian exports, but would use diplomacy to seek mutually beneficial solutions.

Some Southeast Asian neighbors, including Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar, face tariffs of over 40%, giving Indonesia a slight advantage, he noted.

“For Indonesia, it is also another opportunity as its market is huge in America,” Hartoto said. He said Indonesia would buy U.S.-made components for several national strategic projects, including refineries.

Associated Press journalists from around the world contributed to this report.

People walk by an electronic board displaying Shanghai shares trading index at a brokerage house, in Beijing, Monday, April 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

People walk by an electronic board displaying Shanghai shares trading index at a brokerage house, in Beijing, Monday, April 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

Containers are stored in the small harbor in Frankfurt, Germany, Sunday, April 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)

Containers are stored in the small harbor in Frankfurt, Germany, Sunday, April 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)

Shipping containers are stacked at Port Botany in Sydney, Australia, Monday, April 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)

Shipping containers are stacked at Port Botany in Sydney, Australia, Monday, April 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)

Vehicles make their way on a street at the main business district in Jakarta, Indonesia, Monday, April 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Tatan Syuflana)

Vehicles make their way on a street at the main business district in Jakarta, Indonesia, Monday, April 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Tatan Syuflana)

A man walks on a pedestrian bridge as tall buildings are seen in the background at the main business district in Jakarta, Indonesia, Monday, April 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Tatan Syuflana)

A man walks on a pedestrian bridge as tall buildings are seen in the background at the main business district in Jakarta, Indonesia, Monday, April 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Tatan Syuflana)

New cars sit at Tilbury Port in Essex, Britain, Monday April 7, 2025. (Jamie Lashma/PA via AP)

New cars sit at Tilbury Port in Essex, Britain, Monday April 7, 2025. (Jamie Lashma/PA via AP)

People watch a live screen on the facade of Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) building in Mumbai, India, Monday, April 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Rajanish Kakade)

People watch a live screen on the facade of Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) building in Mumbai, India, Monday, April 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Rajanish Kakade)

While a stock exchange trader sits in front of his monitors on the trading floor of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange, Germany, the display board with the Dax curve shows a value of less than 20,000 points. (Arne Dedert/dpa via AP)

While a stock exchange trader sits in front of his monitors on the trading floor of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange, Germany, the display board with the Dax curve shows a value of less than 20,000 points. (Arne Dedert/dpa via AP)

Indonesian Coordinating Minister for Economics Airlangga Hartarto, right, speaks during a press conference in Jakarta, Indonesia, Monday, April 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Tatan Syuflana)

Indonesian Coordinating Minister for Economics Airlangga Hartarto, right, speaks during a press conference in Jakarta, Indonesia, Monday, April 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Tatan Syuflana)

A dejected investor waits to restart trading, suspended for an hour following a 5% drop in in its main index at the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSE), in Karachi, Pakistan, Monday, April 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Fareed Khan)

A dejected investor waits to restart trading, suspended for an hour following a 5% drop in in its main index at the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSE), in Karachi, Pakistan, Monday, April 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Fareed Khan)

Pedestrian are reflected on a brokerage house's window as an electronic board displays shares trading index, in Beijing, Monday, April 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

Pedestrian are reflected on a brokerage house's window as an electronic board displays shares trading index, in Beijing, Monday, April 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

A dejected investor waits to restart trading, suspended for an hour following a 5% drop in in its main index, at the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSE), in Karachi, Pakistan, Monday, April 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Fareed Khan)

A dejected investor waits to restart trading, suspended for an hour following a 5% drop in in its main index, at the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSE), in Karachi, Pakistan, Monday, April 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Fareed Khan)

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