Cade Cunningham led the way with 27 points and 10 assists as the Detroit Pistons cruised past the Washington Wizards 123-103 on Tuesday night. Detroit, now 37-29 and sitting sixth in the Eastern Conference, never trailed and held a double-digit lead for the entire second half.
The game turned physical in the final quarter, with Washington’s Richaun Holmes getting ejected for throwing an elbow to Ausar Thompson’s face while battling for a rebound. Moments later, Marcus Smart was assessed a flagrant-1 foul after elbowing Tim Hardaway Jr.
Jalen Duren posted a double-double with 15 points and 13 rebounds, helping the Pistons snap a two-game losing streak. Detroit’s strong inside presence and 61 total rebounds contributed to their control of the game.
Smart led the Wizards with 16 points, while Bub Carrington and Jordan Poole each added 15. Washington entered the game having won three of its last four, but struggled against Detroit’s defense, shooting just 40.2% from the field.
The game had an early confrontation in the first quarter when Kyshawn George shoved Cunningham, who responded in kind. Khris Middleton stepped in, placing his hand on Cunningham’s chest, before Poole escalated tensions by shoving Duren. Referees intervened to prevent further conflict.
Detroit’s bench provided key contributions, with Malik Beasley scoring 14 points on 4-of-6 shooting from three-point range. Dennis Schroder added 11 points and four assists, while Isaiah Stewart grabbed seven rebounds.
Washington struggled to keep up, especially after Holmes’ ejection. The Wizards’ frontcourt had trouble containing Duren and Isaiah Stewart, who combined for 20 rebounds. Middleton finished with just eight points on 3-of-9 shooting.
Thompson remained in the game after taking Holmes’ elbow and knocked down two free throws. He finished with eight points and five rebounds in 20 minutes.
Detroit shot 46.2% from the field and 42.1% from beyond the arc, while Washington managed just 33.3% from three-point range. The Pistons also held a significant edge in assists, tallying 29 compared to the Wizards’ 20.
The victory keeps Detroit firmly in the Eastern Conference playoff race, with a crucial stretch of games ahead. Washington, sitting at 13-51 and last in the East, continues to focus on developing its younger players despite recent competitive performances.
