Detroit Pistons rookie Cade Cunningham played the best game of his short NBA career. As electric as his night was, it wasn’t quite enough against the reigning MVP.
Cunningham scored a career-high 34 points, dished eight assists, grabbed eight rebounds, blocked four shots and got two steals against the Denver Nuggets. It was a signature game by the No. 1 pick, who impacted every aspect of the game and kept the margin close against a Western Conference contender.
But Nikola Jokic also had a big night, finishing with 28 points, 21 rebounds and nine assists to lead the Nuggets to a 110-105 win over the Pistons.
It was Denver’s second-straight win over Detroit this week; the Nuggets won, 117-11, on Sunday in Denver.
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Saddiq Bey added 21 points, and Frank Jackson finished with 11 points in his return after missing 13 games due to a sprained ankle and COVID-19.
Cade Cunningham almost could do no wrong
Midway through the first quarter, Cunningham tried to hit a rolling Stewart for an alley-oop. But he misplaced the pass, and the ball instead sailed through the net for two Pistons points.
It was that kind of night for Cunningham, who bested his previous career-high of 29 points. He made five of his first six shots, 10 of his first 15, and was the primary reason why the Pistons kept things close.
Cunningham showcased his full offensive arsenal — knocking down multiple 3-pointers on the move, finishing through traffic and through bigger defenders, and posting up smaller defenders. He delivered pitch-perfect passes to his teammates, and mostly avoided the sloppy turnovers he’s struggled with at times this season.
His best stretch happened midway through the fourth quarter, when he scored seven-straight points to help Detroit cut a 12-point deficit to three.
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With 5:33 on the clock in the final period, Hayes found Cunningham in transition for a pull-up 3-pointer that cut the deficit to 99-96, eclipsing the rookie’s previous career-high. Hew would score one more — a layup with 1:31 to play to cut the deficit to four — but the Pistons could get no closer until a Cory Joseph layup cut it the lead to three with 4.4 seconds left. But Cunningham had to foul Monte Morris to try to extend the game but the former Flint Beecher star made both free throws.
Frank Jackson returns
Thanks to a sprained left ankle and health and safety protocols, Jackson missed 13-consecutive games and hadn’t played since Dec. 29 entering Tuesday’s game. He was questionable before the opening tip, but the Pistons made him active after he went through warmups.
Jackson was a little rusty from behind the arc, making just one of his five attempts, but otherwise had a productive night. He was 5-for-11 from the field and played eight minutes in the fourth quarter, scoring six points in the final period.
Contact Omari Sankofa II at osankofa@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @omarisankofa. The Free Press has started a new digital subscription model. Here’s how you can gain access to our most exclusive Pistons content. Read more on the Detroit Pistons and sign up for our Pistons newsletter.