Cunningham scores 52 as Pistons edge Wizards 144-140 in double-overtime thriller
Cade Cunningham racked up 52 points as the Detroit Pistons edged a double-overtime thriller 144-140 against the Washington Wizards on Thursday. 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.
Cunningham also added 10 assists without committing a turnover, becoming the first NBA player to record a 50-point, 10-assist game without a turnover since the 1977-78 season.
Ausar Thompson had a triple-double for the Pistons with 17 points, 11 assists and 11 rebounds.
The Wizards had three starters scoring 30-plus points — Trae Young, Anthony Davis and Alex Sarr — but it was not enough to prevent Washington's sixth defeat in a row.
After the game Cunningham said: 'Two overtimes, it was just going to come down to who wanted it more, who had more in the tank. I'd bet on my team any day. So great win for us.'
In a back-and-forth game featuring 20 lead changes, Detroit started slow but built a double-digit lead early in the second half, which Washington slowly whittled down.
The Pistons were clinging to their lead when Cunningham was fouled at 119-118 with less than two seconds remaining. He sank both free throws, but Trae Young made a nerveless shot right at the buzzer to force overtime.
The Wizards raced ahead 128-121 in overtime, but Cunningham would not quit. He made a three-pointer with 30 seconds left to level the score, then set up Duncan Robinson for what appeared to be another. A video replay ruled Robinson's toe was on the line, and Detroit had only a two-point lead.
That proved crucial as Young set up this year's top draft pick AJ Dybantsa, who forced a second overtime period with a pull-up jump shot.
Cunningham made a fadeaway shot for a four-point lead with 25 seconds left in the second overtime, and this time the Wizards could not conjure a third comeback. Young missed two three-point efforts, Washington settled for two free throws, and the Wizards were unable to score in their final possession.
Elsewhere, Tyrese Maxey powered Philadelphia to a 123-112 win over the Toronto Raptors with 27 points and eight assists, while Joel Embiid added 20 points. LeBron James was ruled out to manage a lower back issue. Philadelphia moved to 10-3, just half a game back from the 10-2 Boston Celtics atop the Eastern Conference. The Minnesota Timberwolves thrashed Dallas 133-94, while Devin Booker's 30 points helped the Phoenix Suns overcome Charlotte 101-96.
