A late 24-7 run allowed the Detroit Pistons to take care of business at Little Caesars Arena on Friday, defeating the Dallas Mavericks, 117-102.
Cade Cunningham, a day after being named an NBA All-Star for the first time, lived up to the billing with 40 points, six rebounds and four assists on 17-for-30 shooting to lead the Pistons (24-24) past the Mavs, a Western Conference contender and snap a three-game losing streak. After trailing by 11 midway through the second quarter, the Pistons, led by Cunningham, ripped off a 22-8 run in the third that gave the Pistons their biggest lead to that point, 86-71.
Cunningham capped the fourth-quarter run with a pair of layups, the second drawing loud “MVP” chants after he hit 40 points and checked out of the game with 1:31 remaining. His point total tied his season high and was three short of his career high (43 vs. the Atlanta Hawks on Dec. 18, 2023).
MAKING A MOVE:3 deals for Detroit Pistons if they take big swing at NBA trade deadline 2025
Tobias Harris (17 points, 7-for-12 shooting), Jalen Duren (16 points, 13 rebounds, five assists) and Marcus Sasser (10 points) also scored in double figures. Kyrie Irving led the Mavericks with 28 points and P.J. Washington (22 points, 13 rebounds) and Daniel Gafford (16 points, 10 rebounds) added double-doubles.
Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.
The Pistons were without Isaiah Stewart, who was suspended for the game after picking up a flagrant-2 foul and ejection in the second quarter against the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday. Luka Doncic, who has been out since Christmas with a calf injury, missed the game for the Mavericks.
Cunningham follows All-Star selection with All-Star performance
The newly-minted All-Star was all smiles as he discussed the honor with the media after the team’s shootaround Friday morning. However, he also noted the importance of staying focused.
“I think it’s a huge thing for the whole organization to have that recognition and bring a spotlight on what our team is doing,” he said. “We’re not taking that lightly. We know we have to continue to step it up and finish playing into All-Star break strong, and after All-Star break, finish the year strong.”
Cunningham followed through on his word, helping the Pistons close out a bounceback win with 16 points in the third quarter. It was yet another sequence where the opposing team didn’t have an answer for him, as he knocked down seven of his 11 attempts in the period.
He opened the quarter with a 3-pointer after Irving cut their lead to one, and added another 3-pointer and a pair of layups in the final three minutes as the Mavericks trimmed a 15-point Pistons lead to six. That included a pair of layups in the final minute, the second following a move that dropped Washington to the floor before finishing with 4.5 seconds on the clock.
Midway through the fourth, “MVP” chants echoed through Little Caesars Arena for the first time as Cunningham knocked down a pair of free throws to push the lead back to double digits, 107-96.
Harris steps up scoring punch
Harris, after a slow start to the season, has stepped up his scoring efficiency in the month of January following Jaden Ivey’s injury. The veteran forward entered Friday shooting 46.3% overall and 37% from 3 through 15 January games, improvements from his 2024 marks of 42.9% overall and 32% from 3.
He stepped up against the Mavs, reaching the 17-point plateau for the eighth time in 16 games. Harris got going early with nine points in the opening period, and added a midrange jumper and pair of free throws during the Pistons’ third-quarter run.
In the fourth, he added another jumper from midrange at the nine-minute mark to extend the lead back to six, after Dallas trimmed it to three, helping the Pistons remain in control.
Contact Omari Sankofa II at [email protected]. Follow him on X @omarisankofa.
