Cade Cunningham delivered 36 points and eight assists Thursday night to help the Detroit Pistons secure a 115-106 victory over the New York Knicks at Little Caesars Arena.
The win improved Detroit’s record to 44-36, while New York dropped to 50-30 and missed an opportunity to clinch the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference.
Jalen Brunson, who briefly exited in the third quarter after rolling his left ankle, returned to finish the game but was held to 15 points on 5-of-15 shooting.
The Knicks were without OG Anunoby (thumb) and Josh Hart (knee), two key starters who remained sidelined due to injury.
Detroit, currently sixth in the East, trailed for most of the game but closed strong by outscoring the visitors 31-22 in the fourth quarter.
Jalen Duren added 18 points and 13 rebounds while going a perfect 9-for-9 from the field, helping the Pistons finish with a 48-47 edge on the boards.
Veteran forward Tobias Harris chipped in 17 points, and Ron Holland contributed 13 off the bench for the Pistons, who had lost four straight prior to this win.
Karl-Anthony Towns led New York with 25 points and 10 rebounds, while Precious Achiuwa added 18 points in extended minutes due to the team’s injuries.
The Pistons held New York to 42.9 percent shooting from the field and limited the visitors to just four made three-pointers on 20 attempts.
Dennis Schroder made a critical three-point play with 54.7 seconds left, extending the lead to eight and helping seal the win.
New York’s lack of offensive rhythm was evident as the team committed 15 turnovers and recorded just 19 assists on 39 made field goals.
P.J. Tucker, signed by the Knicks earlier this month, played 27 minutes and finished with three points in just his second game of the season.
Detroit’s performance provided a necessary morale boost as it prepares for its first playoff appearance since 2019.
Thursday’s outcome may serve as a preview of a potential first-round playoff clash, especially if both teams maintain their current seeding.
The Pistons shot 50.6 percent from the floor and had six players score in double figures during the nationally televised matchup.
