Cade Cunningham’s Triple-Double Powers Pistons to Ninth Win in 11 Games

DETROIT — Cade Cunningham delivered a dominant performance with 22 points, 17 assists, and 10 rebounds, leading the Detroit Pistons to a 123-114 victory over the Toronto Raptors on Saturday night at Little Caesars Arena. The Pistons have now won nine of their last 11 games, continuing their midseason surge.

Cunningham, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, recorded his seventh triple-double of the season, falling just one assist shy of his career high. His performance also marked his third career triple-double with at least 15 assists, surpassing Pistons legend Isiah Thomas for the most such games in franchise history.

“Cade is playing at an All-Star level,” Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. “He’s the engine that makes us go, and tonight was another example of his growth and leadership.”

Detroit’s balanced attack included 27 points from Jaden Ivey and 18 from Bojan Bogdanović. The Raptors, who have lost 16 of their last 17 games, were led by RJ Barrett’s 25 points and Immanuel Quickley’s 16 points and 11 rebounds. Despite seven Raptors scoring in double figures, Toronto struggled in the fourth quarter, missing four consecutive free throws that allowed Detroit to pull away.

The game was tied at 109 with five minutes remaining, but Cunningham’s short jumper gave the Pistons a 113-109 lead with 3:48 left. He then set up a crucial 3-pointer by Ivey in the final minutes to seal the win.

For the season, Cunningham is averaging career highs of 24.2 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 9.5 assists per game while shooting 38% from 3-point range. He ranks third in the league in assists and is on pace to join an elite group of players who have averaged 25 points and 10 assists in a season.

The Pistons, now 20-19, are above .500 this late in the season for the first time since the 2018-19 campaign. Their turnaround is a stark contrast to last season, when they started 3-36 and endured a record 28-game losing streak.

“We’re building something special here,” Cunningham said. “The guys are buying in, and we’re just taking it one game at a time.”

Both teams return to action on Monday. The Raptors will host the Miami Heat, while the Pistons travel to New York to face the Knicks.