Cade Cunningham erupted for 42 points and dished out 13 assists to lead the Detroit Pistons to a 126-111 dismantling of the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on Friday.
The two-time NBA All-Star led a 21-8 first-quarter run that gave the Pistons the lead for good after trailing 9-2 in the early going. A 7-0 blitz gave Detroit its first double-digit lead of the game, and it cruised from there, winning the next two quarters for a comfortable win even without suspended big men Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart. It is the Pistons’ third win against the Knicks in three tries this season.
Cade Cunningham Serves Up Stern Warning
Afterward, Cade Cunningham touched on the need to keep “getting better” as the playoffs near. Even as he did, he warned the rest of the league that the best may be still to come for the young and talented Pistons.
“It’s regular season, so we just have to keep on chipping at it, keep on growing, keep on getting better and preparing for the postseason,” he said. “We’re off to a great start. Obviously, we feel great about that. But everything is to come.”
Detroit is currently running away with the best record in the Eastern Conference at 41-13—nearly six games clear of the second-running Boston Celtics.
Cade Cunningham Makes Some History
Aside from leading the Pistons to their fourth straight win, Cade Cunningham also hit some impressive milestones. With his stat line against the Knicks, Cunningham became the first player in Pistons franchise history to record 40+ points, 10+ assists, 5+ rebounds, and 5+ triples in a game.
Additionally, Cunningham joined LeBron James (2x) and Allen Iverson as the only opposing players to score 40+ points and dish out 10+ assists at Madison Square Garden.
Cade Cunningham and the Pistons will go for a fifth straight win on Sunday when they face the Chicago Bulls. The Knicks will try to bounce back when they take on the Houston Rockets, also on Sunday.
