DETROIT — In a thrilling matchup, Cade Cunningham shone brightly with a remarkable 40 points, just one day after being announced as an All-Star reserve, propelling the Detroit Pistons to a 117-102 victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Thursday night.
Cunningham equaled his season high by shooting 17-of-30 from the floor and also contributed six rebounds and four assists, falling just short of his career-best of 43 points. The Pistons’ win helped them break a three-game losing streak, with Tobias Harris contributing 17 points and Jalen Duren adding a solid performance of 16 points and 13 rebounds.
The Mavericks were led by Kyrie Irving, who scored 28 points, while P.J. Washington put forth a noteworthy effort with 22 points and 13 rebounds.
As the Mavericks narrowed the deficit to 93-91 with just over ten minutes remaining, the Pistons quickly responded with a 10-2 run, all while Cunningham rested on the sidelines.
Noteworthy insights include the fact that Mavericks star Luka Doncic continues to be sidelined due to a calf injury that has kept him off the court since Christmas. Interestingly, Doncic boasts an impressive average of 36.1 points in his eight career games against the Pistons, the highest average he holds against any team, coupled with 8.5 rebounds and 9.8 assists.
For the Pistons, Isaiah Stewart was out for the night due to a one-game suspension for exceeding six flagrant foul points. In other news, Pistons owner Tom Gores is actively leading a bidding group for a potential WNBA expansion team, recalling the legacy of the Detroit Shock, who played in the league from 1998 until 2009, capturing three championships before relocating to Tulsa.
A pivotal moment in the game occurred when Cunningham tallied eight of his 16 points in the third quarter within the last 2:42 of the period, allowing the Pistons to maintain an eight-point lead. Remarkably, he outscored his teammates 16-15 during that quarter while shooting an impressive 63.6% (7 of 11) from the field compared to the team’s collective 6 of 13.
In terms of statistics, both teams made aggressive attempts to secure offensive rebounds in the first half. Dallas managed to reclaim 41.7% of their missed attempts (10-24), while the Pistons snagged 37.5% (9-24). However, Detroit finished the game with a commanding 16-6 advantage in second-chance points.
Looking ahead, both teams will be back in action on Sunday, with Dallas set to face Cleveland and Detroit preparing to host Chicago.
