The Eastern Conference-leading Detroit Pistons (24-6) beat the Sacramento Kings (7-23) 136-127 on Tuesday night at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento. Cade Cunningham scored 23 points and handed out 14 assists, while Jalen Duren added 23 points and 12 rebounds for Detroit.
Tobias Harris contributed 24 points, Ausar Thompson added 19, and Isaiah Stewart chipped in 16 off the bench as the Pistons extended their winning streak to nine victories in 11 games. Duren’s double-double marked his fourth straight and 17th of the season.
DeMar DeRozan led Sacramento with 37 points, and Russell Westbrook scored 27 while nearing a historic career milestone of 10,140 assists, one shy of Magic Johnson for seventh all-time. The Kings, who have lost 10 of 12, fell behind early and never recovered despite a late push.
Detroit’s dominance in the paint continued, outscoring Sacramento 70-48 inside. The Pistons held a 75-58 halftime lead and stretched it to 115-97 after three quarters, with Sacramento closing to within eight points in the final period but failing to get closer.
Cunningham’s 14 assists highlighted Detroit’s balanced attack, while Harris and Duren combined for 47 points and 35 rebounds. The Pistons shot 54% from the field and 71% from the free-throw line, keeping Sacramento under pressure throughout the contest.
The Kings saw contributions from bench players, but the team struggled to match Detroit’s inside scoring. DeRozan’s 37 points were not enough to offset the Pistons’ efficiency and rebounding advantage, as Westbrook’s 27 points included four assists to reach 10,140 for his career.
The Pistons will face Utah on Friday, while Sacramento hosts Dallas, aiming to recover from back-to-back losses.
