DETROIT — With Cade Cunningham gracing the cover of the latest SLAM magazine, the Detroit Pistons hosted their first-ever SLAM Night at Little Caesars Arena on Thursday, welcoming the New York Knicks to town.
The All-Star guard showed exactly why he’s becoming a household name, leading all scorers at halftime while also setting the table for his teammates.
In what may have been his most complete performance since returning from a six-game absence, Cunningham paced the Pistons in a spirited effort to lead them to an 115-106 victory over the Knicks.
New York had no answer for the fourth-year guard, who scored seemingly at will throughout the night. Cunningham finished with 36 points and seven assists, marking his second 30-point outing against New York this season.
On Jan. 13 at Madison Square Garden, Cunningham poured in 36 points.
Tobias Harris, returning from a three-game absence due to a right heel injury, made an immediate impact and added 17 points.
In total, six Pistons scored in double figures. Jalen Duren recorded a double-double with 18 points and 13 rebounds. Rookie Ron Holland added 13 points and five rebounds, while Tim Hardaway Jr. and Malik Beasley chipped in 10 points apiece.
Early in the second quarter, big men Isaiah Stewart and Karl-Anthony Towns found themselves in foul trouble, each picking up three fouls. Towns was whistled for his fourth with 6:44 remaining in the third quarter.
Even so, Towns still managed to record a double-double with 25 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists.
Despite missing their five-time All-Star for stretches, the Knicks stayed afloat behind an unlikely contributor.
Forward Precious Achiuwa led the way for New York, finishing with 18 points , his second-highest scoring total of the season. He also grabbed 10 rebounds and blocked three shots, making his presence felt on both ends of the court.
Detroit trailed by double digits for much of the night and was down by as many as 13 points. But the Pistons chipped away.
With 1:53 left in the third quarter, Harris knocked down a 3-pointer to cut the deficit to 83-80. Roughly a minute later, Dennis Schroder tied it at 85, capping a 22-9 run to end the quarter.
Around that time, Knicks guard Jalen Brunson, who finished with 15 points and five assists, briefly exited to the locker room but returned as the fourth quarter began.
With Brunson sidelined early in the final period, the Pistons took their first lead since the opening quarter —93-91— on a floater by Beasley.
Although Brunson reentered with 6:07 remaining, the momentum had already shifted in Detroit’s favor, who outscored New York 30-21 in the period.
The Pistons return to action Friday night against the Milwaukee Bucks at Little Caesars Arena, their final home game of the regular season. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m.
