Detroit Pistons All-Star Cade Cunningham put his name in the NBA history books on Thursday night as he exploded for 52 points and dished out 11 assists in a thrilling 144-140 double-overtime win over the Washington Wizards. Cunningham shot 16 of 25 from the field, including 3-of-6 from beyond the arc, and made 17 of his 18 free throws. He made NBA history by becoming the first player with at least 50 points, 10 assists, and zero turnovers in a game since the league began tracking turnovers in 1977-78.
The Pistons star becomes the third player to score at least 52 points in a game this season, joining the Los Angeles Lakers' Luka Doncic and the San Antonio Spurs' Victor Wembanyama. Cunningham's historic performance also came nearly a week after Doncic dropped 53 points in a game, the most by any player so far this season. More news: Warriors’ Draymond Green Sends Blunt Warning to NBA Coaches on Giannis Comments In the double-overtime thriller, Cunningham scored 30 of his points in the fourth quarter and two overtime periods to help Detroit secure a four-point victory.
The NBA celebrated Cunningham's historic feat by sharing a highlight reel of many of his impressive plays, including 3-pointers, mid-range jumpers, and crafty moves where he breezed past defenders to the hoop. A dazzling spinning layup was also part of the All-Star's array of moves. Among Cunningham's 11 assists was a sweet alley-oop pass to teammate Ausar Thompson with under five minutes remaining in the second quarter.
Meanwhile, Washington's Anthony Davis, Trae Young, and Alex Sarr combined for 97 points in the losing effort. Davis also grabbed 15 rebounds, and Young dished out 14 assists, while rookie AJ Dybantsa had just five points on 2-of-10 field goals. Thursday night's 52 points were a career high for Cunningham, and the win helped Detroit improve to 8-3 for the season.
They'd recently lost to the Lakers at home, but this victory keeps them in contention in the Eastern Conference with the Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers. Next up for the Pistons is a battle with Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Heat on Saturday, Nov. 14, in Miami. More news: Charles Barkley Rips Stunning Comparison of Lakers’ Austin Reaves to NBA Legend For more about the Detroit Pistons and NBA, visit Newsweek Sports.
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