The Detroit Pistons rode a dominant performance from Cade Cunningham to a 126-111 victory over the New York Knicks on Thursday night, completing a season sweep of their Eastern Conference rival.
Cunningham was sensational, finishing with 42 points and 13 assists to control the game from start to finish. Paul Reed added 18 points, while Tobias Harris posted 11 points and 10 rebounds. Ausar Thompson chipped in 10 points for Detroit, which remains atop the Eastern Conference standings.
New York was led by Jalen Brunson’s 30 points, including a late 3-pointer that trimmed the deficit to 120-109 with 1:33 remaining. Karl-Anthony Towns recorded 21 points and 11 rebounds, while Landry Shamet scored 15 and Josh Hart added 11. The Knicks struggled from long range, shooting just 8 of 35 (23%) from beyond the arc.
The Knicks jumped out to a 9-2 lead, but Detroit quickly responded with a 21-8 run to seize control. The Pistons closed the first half on a 7-0 burst to take a 58-48 advantage into the break.
After Towns pulled New York within 62-60 early in the third quarter, Duncan Robinson knocked down consecutive 3-pointers to spark another Detroit surge. The Pistons pushed their lead to 13 before carrying a 90-79 edge into the fourth.
Detroit extended the margin to a game-high 19 points at 104-85 on a tip-in by Daniss Jenkins midway through the final period. Though the Knicks made one last push, they never got closer than 11.
The Pistons were without Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart, both serving suspensions stemming from a Feb. 9 altercation against Charlotte.
Up next:
Detroit visits Chicago on Saturday, while New York returns home to host Houston.
