Cade Cunningham put together a historic performance on Thursday, delivering 52 points to lead the Detroit Pistons to a 144-140 victory over the Washington Wizards in a thrilling double-overtime matchup. In doing so, Cunningham became the first player in NBA history to rack up at least 50 points and 10 assists in a single game without recording a single turnover. Ausar Thompson also turned in a monster stat line for Detroit, registering a triple-double with 17 points, 11 rebounds, and 11 assists.
Despite the setback, Washington featured three starters with 30-plus points: Trae Young, Anthony Davis, and Alex Sarr. However, their combined offensive firepower was not enough to prevent the Wizards from dropping their sixth consecutive contest.
Reflecting on the grueling double-overtime battle, Cunningham noted after the game, “Two overtimes, it was just going to come down [to] who wanted it more, who had more in the tank.” He added, “I’d bet on my team any day. So great win for us.”
The competitive contest witnessed 20 lead changes overall. After a sluggish beginning, Detroit pulled ahead to establish a double-digit advantage early in the second half. Washington steadily erased that deficit and remained firmly in contention late in regulation. With less than two seconds remaining and Detroit clinging to a 119-118 advantage, Cunningham was fouled and hit both free throws. Trae Young responded by sinking a clutch bucket right at the buzzer to force the first overtime.
In the initial extra period, Washington sprinted out to a 128-121 advantage before Cunningham orchestrated another comeback. He hit a crucial three-pointer with 30 seconds left to equalize. On the next possession, Cunningham found teammate Duncan Robinson for what was initially called a go-ahead three, but a video review confirmed Robinson’s toe was on the line, leaving Detroit with a two-point cushion instead. Young then fed top draft pick AJ Dybantsa, who hit a pull-up jumper to push the game into a second overtime.
Cade Cunningham took control in the final minutes, sinking a fadeaway jumper with 25 seconds remaining to secure a four-point advantage. This time, the Wizards were unable to generate another late-game miracle, as Young missed two attempts from deep while Washington failed to score on their ultimate possession. The Wizards twice extended the game with clutch scores in the dying seconds but could not repeat the trick a third time as the Pistons held their nerve to claim an epic road win.
Elsewhere in the NBA, Tyrese Maxey poured in 27 points to guide the Philadelphia 76ers back from a 17-point first-quarter deficit, securing a 123-112 victory against the Toronto Raptors. Maxey dished out eight assists and formed a strong tandem with 2023 MVP Joel Embiid, who temporarily exited the game with a knee issue before returning to finish with 20 points. Scoring 27 points as the Sixers shrugged off a slow start and the absence of LeBron James to beat the Toronto Raptors 123-112, tyrese Maxey powered Philadelphia to its latest comeback victory.
The Sixers accomplished the victory despite missing veteran star James, who turns 42 next month and sat out the contest to manage a lower back condition. Philadelphia’s fifth double-digit comeback of the campaign improved their record to 10-3, placing them just half a game behind the 10-2 Boston Celtics at the top of the Eastern Conference.
Evaluating the team’s resilience, Maxey called it an “extreme professional win by us,” noting, “We stayed with it. Didn’t start out great, but it was a good win.” He highlighted his long-standing chemistry with Embiid, adding, “We played together the last seven years, so I kind of know where he’s going to be, he knows where I’m going to be at, and it’s good for us.”
In other action around the league, the Minnesota Timberwolves dominated the Dallas Mavericks in a 133-94 blow-out, while Devin Booker notched 30 points to steer the Phoenix Suns to a 101-96 win over the Charlotte Hornets.
