Cade Cunningham powered the Detroit Pistons to a 134-106 win over the Utah Jazz on Monday night, finishing with 29 points, nine assists, and four steals.
Detroit (35-37) won for the 10th time in 11 games and maintained its hold on the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference.
Cunningham scored 17 points in the first half as the Pistons built a 20-point lead at the break. Ausar Thompson added 17 points while making all seven of his shots, and Jalen Duren had a double-double with 16 points and 12 rebounds on 5-for-5 shooting.
Kyle Filipowski led Utah (15-46) with a career-high 25 points and eight rebounds, while Collin Sexton finished with 16 points and three steals.
Detroit took control early with a 21-6 run to close the first quarter, grabbing a 36-22 advantage. The Pistons shot 55.4% from the field and outscored the Jazz in every quarter, extending their lead to 29 in the fourth after a 14-2 burst.
Thompson had 15 of his 17 points after halftime and also contributed six rebounds, five assists, and three steals. Tim Hardaway Jr. chipped in 13 points for Detroit, while Malik Beasley added 15.
The Pistons’ balanced attack saw 11 different players score, with the bench contributing 36 points. Rookie Ron Holland II had eight points off the bench, going 2-for-2 from the field and 4-for-6 at the free-throw line. Dennis Schroder provided seven points and four assists in 16 minutes of action.
Utah struggled to keep pace, shooting just 42.7% from the field and 30.3% from deep. Walker Kessler scored 14 points on 7-of-9 shooting but was limited to nine rebounds as the Pistons dominated the paint. Keyonte George finished with 12 points and three assists for the Jazz, who have dropped seven of their last ten games.
Detroit’s defense forced 27 Utah turnovers, leading to 34 points on the other end. The Pistons also controlled the boards, outrebounding the Jazz 46-41 while limiting second-chance opportunities.
Filipowski’s strong offensive showing was a bright spot for Utah, as the rookie shot 7-for-13 from the field and hit four three-pointers. Brice Sensabaugh struggled, going 0-for-5 from the field with five turnovers in 16 minutes.
Detroit now sits just one game behind the fifth seed in the East as it continues its late-season push.
