Cade Cunningham scored 52 points and had 11 assists to lead the Detroit Pistons to a 144-140 double-overtime win over the Washington Wizards on Thursday night. He became the first player since at least 1978 to record at least 50 points and 10 assists in a game without a turnover.
The Wizards kept hitting last-second shots, which forced Cunningham to play an extra 10 minutes, and that only turned a great night into a historic one.
“It was the best I’ve ever done it in my NBA career for sure,” Cunningham said.
In a game that was tight throughout, Cunningham kept his mistakes to a minimum while remaining hugely productive.
A late surge and a dramatic finish
Cunningham had only 22 points after three quarters, then scored 18 in the fourth. That still was not enough, as Trae Young hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer to tie the score at 121. Washington opened overtime with the first seven points, but Cunningham had plenty of time left to respond. A jumper, two free throws and a 3-pointer later, he had tied the score at 130.
Duncan Robinson put the Pistons ahead with a jumper, but AJ Dybantsa, the top pick in this year’s draft, tied the game with less than a second left for Washington.
Four players in the game had been selected first overall: Dybantsa, Anthony Davis, Deandre Ayton and Cunningham. Davis scored 30 points and grabbed 15 rebounds for the Wizards before fouling out in the second overtime, after Cunningham hit a 3-pointer to put the Pistons up 135-132.
Scoring across the Wizards’ lineup
Young scored 37 points and Alex Sarr added 30. The Wizards had not had three 30-point scorers in a game since 18 November 1969, when the franchise was known as the Baltimore Bullets and Mike Davis, Earl Monroe and Gus Johnson formed a high-scoring trio against the San Diego Rockets.
Cunningham’s place in Pistons history
Cunningham’s 52 points equalled the fourth-highest total in Pistons franchise history. Jerry Stackhouse scored 57 points in 2001, Kelly Tripucka had 56 in 1983, Dave Bing recorded 54 in 1971, and George Yardley scored 52 in 1958.
The statistical feats did not stop there. Cunningham:
- Became the fifth player since 1977-78 to record a 50-point double-double with zero turnovers in a game, joining Michael Jordan (twice), Moses Malone, Carmelo Anthony and Giannis Antetokounmpo.
- Became the third Pistons player with a 50-point double-double, joining Yardley (twice in 1957-58) and Blake Griffin (2018-19).
- Scored 30 points in the fourth quarter and overtime, the most by a Pistons player in the play-by-play era (since 1997-98).
Cunningham also overshadowed a notable performance from teammate Ausar Thompson, who recorded the first triple-double of his career with 17 points, 11 assists and 11 rebounds.
“He led us through the fourth quarter and overtimes,” Thompson said. “He did what he does. One person can’t just guard him.”