Pistons whip Wizards in 2 OT
CADE Cunningham erupts for 52 points to lead the Detroit Pistons to a 144-140 victory over the Washington Wizards in double overtime in the NBA regular season.
Photograph courtesy of STEPHEN GOSLING/agence france-presse
WASHINGTON (AFP) — Cade Cunningham racked up 52 points as the Detroit Pistons edged a double-overtime thriller 144-140 against Washington on Thursday in the National Basketball Association (NBA).
The Wizards twice extended the game with clutch scores in the dying seconds but could not repeat the trick a third time as the Pistons held their nerve to claim an epic road win.
Cunningham became the first player in NBA history to score 50 points and add 10 assists with zero turnovers, while Ausar Thompson had a triple-double with 17 points, 11 assists and 11 rebounds.
The Wizards had three starters scoring 30-plus points — Trae Young, Anthony Davis and Alex Sarr — but it was not enough to prevent Washington’s sixth defeat in a row.
“Two overtimes, it was just going to come down to who wanted it more, who had more in the tank,” Cunningham said.
“I’d bet on my team any day. So great win for us.”
In a back-and-forth game featuring 20 lead changes, Detroit started slow but built a double-digit lead early in the second half.
It was slowly whittled down by Washington, but the Pistons were clinging on to their lead when Cunningham was fouled at 119-118 with less than two seconds remaining.
Cunningham sank both free throws, but Trae Young made a nerveless trey right at the buzzer to force overtime.
The Wizards raced 128-121 up but Cunningham would not quit.