DETROIT - Friday's crowd at Little Caesars Arena wasn't the largest of the season for the Detroit Pistons, but it might have been the liveliest.
Coach Dwane Casey and players took note following their 116-111 overtime victory over the Houston Rockets.
"It was great," Casey said. "We need that because all these gyms in Toronto and Houston are packed and hot. I know these fans here are just waiting to have a rocking arena and we have to give them something to get excited about.
"They're not just going to pay their hard-earned money to come hang out and watch us not give 100 percent. We're getting to where our fans are going to respect us, respect what we put on the floor, but we have to go out there and earn it."
It was the start of a six-game homestand, the longest of the season. It continues today against the Phoenix Suns (4 p.m., Fox Sports Detroit). The Pistons hope to play in front of more engaged crowds.
"Crowd was awesome," Blake Griffin said. "Crowds like that, it's a fun place to play. They know basketball. They know when a big possession is coming up. They know what a big stop is. They appreciate somebody playing hard, somebody playing good defense. When the crowd is like that you feel like you got another man out there."
The Pistons (9-7) are 5-2 in their past seven games.
"These fans are knowledgeable," Griffin said. "I don't think fans expect you to win every game. That's just not reality. But when you give them a product that they can be proud of and they can cheer for, I think they'll show it and they'll get behind you.
"You do that by playing hard every game. Even in defeat, play as hard as you can. Just the way we play, we have guys that play exciting basketball. If we play hard on top of that, fans will get behind us."
Said Andre Drummond: "I think this was the most lively the crowd has been all season. It's a testament to our play. We're winning games and people want to come out and see us."
The Suns have the worst record in the Western Conference (4-14) but are coming off a surprising 116-114 victory at Milwaukee Friday.
Devin Booker leads the Suns in scoring (24.1 points per game) and assists (7.3). Deandre Ayton, the 7-1 center selected first overall in this year's draft, is averaging 16.5 points and 10.3 rebounds per game.