Cade Cunningham and Trae Young went head-to-head in a high-scoring contest, but the Detroit Pistons secured a 148-143 victory over the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday night.
Cunningham finished with 38 points, 12 assists, and seven rebounds, helping the Pistons (31-26) extend their winning streak to six games. Malik Beasley added 24 points, hitting six of his ten three-point attempts, while Tim Hardaway Jr. contributed 18 points.
Detroit posted a season-high 59.1% shooting from the field and matched that efficiency from deep, going 20-for-40 on three-pointers. The Pistons’ offensive explosion gave them their highest point total of the season.
Young matched Cunningham’s 38 points while dishing out 13 assists, but the Hawks (26-31) dropped their third straight game. Georges Niang provided a scoring spark with 27 points, tying his career high with seven made threes.
Cunningham’s dominant first half, where he recorded 29 points and 10 assists, forced Atlanta to double-team him after halftime. Dyson Daniels, a Defensive Player of the Year candidate, managed four steals but struggled to contain Cunningham one-on-one.
Dennis Schroder played a crucial role late, converting a three-point play with 33 seconds remaining to put Detroit ahead 142-140. The Hawks had led moments earlier after an 11-2 run, but the Pistons held them off down the stretch.
Detroit remains in sixth place in the Eastern Conference, continuing its push toward a playoff berth for the first time since 2019. Atlanta will look to bounce back as it concludes a three-game homestand against Miami on Monday.
