LOS ANGELES (AFP) — Cade Cunningham finished with 22 points as the Detroit Pistons held off a late rally from the depleted Denver Nuggets to hang on for a 109-107 road victory on Tuesday.
Detroit, who improved to 34-11 to extend their lead at the top of the Eastern Conference standings, appeared to be cruising towards a comfortable win after opening up an 18-point lead early in the second quarter.
But a Denver lineup missing four key starters, including Nikola Jokic, refused to roll over and gradually chipped away at the Detroit lead, getting to within one point of the Pistons at 107-106 with four seconds remaining in the final quarter.
Denver star Jamal Murray could have forced overtime after being awarded three free throws with one second remaining and Detroit leading 109-106.
However, Murray missed his second and third free throws and the Pistons escaped.
In other games on Tuesday, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander extended his incredible 20-point scoring streak to 118 consecutive games as the Oklahoma City Thunder improved to 38-10 with a 104-95 defeat of the New Orleans Pelicans.
Reigning NBA Most Valuable Player Gilgeous-Alexander finished with 29 points, six rebounds and four assists as he edged closer to Wilt Chamberlain’s mark of 126 straight 20-point performances, a record set between 1961 and 1963.
Chet Holmgren added 20 points and Isaiah Joe bagged 17 off the bench to provide Gilgeous-Alexander with scoring support.
Tempers flared after the final buzzer when a confrontation between the Thunder’s Lu Dort and New Orleans’ Jeremiah Fears triggered a melee involving multiple players from both teams.