Cade Cunningham's triple-double helps fuel Pistons' blowout of Wizards
Published in Basketball
The Detroit Pistons have come a long way since Kyle Kuzma insulted them with a tweet that stated, "At this point, it's like "don't be that team" during their historical losing streak last season.
In Sunday's contest at Capital One Arena, the Pistons showcased how they have surpassed the Washington Wizards in their respective rebuilds.
The Pistons recorded their second consecutive victory in a 124-104 win over the Wizards (2-10). Detroit now has won four out of its last six games while inching closer to a .500 record (7-8). After a nail-biting win over the Toronto Raptors on Friday, the Pistons also ended their three-game road trip with a 2-1 record.
Coach J.B. Bickerstaff left Washington pleased with the combined effort displayed by his players. Five players scored in double figures, as Jaden Ivey led the way with 28 points on 10-of-19 shooting and 4-of-7 from deep. He also added eight assists. Cade Cunningham recorded his fourth triple-double of the season with 21 points, 10 assists and 10 rebounds. They scored 14 first-half points apiece, which led to a 65-53 lead at the half. Cunningham scored 12 points during the second quarter.
Malik Beasley made his third consecutive start in place of Tim Hardaway Jr., who sustained a head injury in Tuesday's win over the Miami Heat. Beasley drilled six 3-point field goals en route to 26 points.
Outside of an early 2-0 lead for the Wizards, it was a wire-to-wire victory for Detroit. Jalen Duren scored the Pistons' first points of the game at the 11:23 mark of the first quarter. He connected on an and-1 attempt and ignited an 11-2 run on his way to an 11-point, 10-rebound night.
The Pistons were able to maintain their dominance through all four quarters without giving up a double-digit lead. Tobias Harris came close to a double-double with 12 points and nine rebounds. Isaiah Stewart added nine points, six rebounds and two blocks off the bench. His turnaround jump shot with 3:22 left in the third period led to a 24-point lead (92-68) — Detroit's largest of the night.
Detroit was able to maintain its dominance against one of the best fourth-quarter teams in the league. The Wizards came into the night averaging 32.6 points during the period — first in the league. The Pistons held the Wizards to 24 points in the period. Kuma and Jordan Poole each led the Wizards with 22.
Up next
The Pistons will play their fifth back-to-back set of the season with a home contest against the Chicago Bulls on Monday night. Detroit will then embark on a two-game road trip, which will begin Thursday night against the Charlotte Hornets. Tip-off between the Pistons and Bulls is slated for 7 p.m. ET at Little Caesars Arena.
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