Cade Cunningham’s Career-High 52 Lifts Pistons Past Wizards in Double Overtime
WASHINGTON — Cade Cunningham delivered the finest night of his young career on Thursday, scoring a career-high 52 points and adding 11 assists without a single turnover as the Detroit Pistons outlasted the Washington Wizards 144-140 in double overtime at Capital One Arena.
The Pistons guard shot 16 of 25 from the field, made three of five three-point attempts and converted 17 of 18 free throws in 48 minutes. Thirty of his 52 points came in the fourth quarter and the two overtime periods, including 18 in the fourth alone, as Detroit twice fought back from the brink.
Wizards twice force extra basketball
Washington refused to lose in regulation. Trae Young’s three-pointer at the buzzer tied the game at 121 and forced the first overtime, and when Detroit looked to have the extra period won, rookie AJ Dybantsa sank a midrange shot with less than a second left to send the teams to a second overtime.
Dybantsa had been bloodied earlier in the game after a collision with Cunningham but stayed in the contest and delivered when Washington needed him most.
The Wizards even scored the first seven points of the first overtime to lead 128-121, but Cunningham rallied Detroit once more. In the second overtime he opened the scoring with a three-pointer, and after Anthony Davis fouled out, the Pistons took control. Cunningham’s baseline jumper made it 142-138 with 25.3 seconds left, and Detroit held on from there.
The finish recalled the Jets’ overtime comeback against Montreal earlier in the week, another game decided only after regulation — but few finishes this season have carried as much individual brilliance.
A line without precedent
Cunningham’s night was historic as well as dramatic. According to the Associated Press, he became the first NBA player to record 50 points, 10 assists and no turnovers in a game since the league began tracking turnovers in the 1977-78 season.
His previous career high was 46 points, set just over a year ago — also against Washington. He added five rebounds, a steal and a block to his 52 points and 11 assists, and he did not commit a turnover in nearly 48 minutes on court.
He was not alone. Ausar Thompson recorded his first career triple-double with 17 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists, while Daniss Jenkins scored 21 points for Detroit before fouling out.
For Washington, Young finished with 37 points and 14 assists, though he shot only 8 of 23 from the field. Anthony Davis and Alex Sarr scored 30 points each — the franchise’s first trio of 30-point scorers since Mike Davis, Earl Monroe and Gus Johnson did it for the Baltimore Bullets on 18 November 1969. Sarr was 10 of 10 from the field in regulation and finished 12 of 14.
A statement win for Detroit
The result improved Detroit to 8-3 and handed Washington a sixth straight defeat. It was also the Pistons’ second win over the Wizards in four games, having overcome Davis’s 44 points to beat them on Monday.
NBC Sports noted that the Wizards twice extended the game with last-second shots, yet still could not find a way past a Detroit side that kept answering.
The performance came on a night when the league’s injury news was dominated by Stephen Curry’s oblique injury, which will sideline the Golden State star for at least two weeks, and it followed UCLA’s upset of Arizona in the college season opener earlier in the week — a reminder of how quickly basketball’s storylines can turn.
Cunningham, the first overall pick in the 2021 draft, has grown into the centrepiece of Detroit’s rebuild, and nights like this one are why the Pistons built around him. The question now is whether he can sustain this level as the season’s early promise is tested.
What comes next
The Pistons travel to Miami on Saturday night, while the Wizards host Houston on Sunday. Detroit will hope Cunningham’s historic night is the start of a run rather than a one-off; Washington, meanwhile, must find a way to end a losing streak that has now reached six games.
Frequently asked questions
How many points did Cade Cunningham score against the Wizards?
Cunningham scored a career-high 52 points, along with 11 assists, five rebounds, a steal and a block, with no turnovers.
What made Cunningham’s performance historic?
He became the first NBA player to record at least 50 points and 10 assists without a turnover since the league began tracking turnovers in the 1977-78 season.
When do the Pistons play next?
Detroit travels to Miami on Saturday night. Washington hosts Houston on Sunday.
