Cade Cunningham delivered a complete performance as the Detroit Pistons defeated the Boston Celtics 112-105 on Monday night at TD Garden. Cunningham finished with 32 points and 10 rebounds, guiding Detroit to its fourth straight win.
The victory pushed the Pistons to 21-5, maintaining the best record in the Eastern Conference. Detroit also avenged a loss in Boston three weeks earlier that ended its franchise record-tying 13-game winning streak.
Cunningham was efficient throughout, shooting 11-of-21 from the field and 6-of-10 from three-point range. He added four assists and controlled the tempo during critical stretches of the fourth quarter.
Detroit entered the final period with a four-point lead and extended it behind defensive activity and timely shooting. Javonte Green sparked a decisive run with a steal and breakaway dunk that made it 103-93 with just under six minutes remaining.
Boston briefly responded when Derrick White completed a three-point play to cut the deficit to 96-93. That moment sent Cunningham to the bench with his fifth foul, but Detroit maintained composure.
Green answered with a corner three and followed it with another dunk to restore a double-digit lead. The Pistons’ ability to score off turnovers proved decisive late.
The Celtics made one final push, trimming the margin to 104-102 on White’s baseline jumper with 2:47 left. Cunningham responded with two jumpers in the final two minutes to close the door.
Caris LeVert and Tobias Harris each scored 13 points for Detroit, providing balanced secondary scoring. The Pistons shot 46 percent from the field and went 13-for-36 from three-point range.
Boston was led by Jaylen Brown, who posted 34 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists. White added 31 points, but the Celtics struggled from beyond the arc for most of the night.
From late in the first quarter through early in the fourth, Boston missed 20 of 21 three-point attempts. The Celtics finished 10-for-39 from deep, a sharp contrast to Detroit’s perimeter efficiency.
The loss dropped Boston to 15-11 and marked its second straight defeat following a five-game winning streak. It also followed an earlier season meeting in which Detroit edged the Celtics despite Brown’s 41-point effort.
Detroit continues its road trip Thursday night in Dallas. Boston returns home to host Miami on Friday.
