Cade Cunningham recorded a triple-double with 22 points, 17 assists, and 10 rebounds, leading the Detroit Pistons to a 123-114 victory over the Toronto Raptors on Saturday night.
Cunningham fell just one assist shy of his career high, set on December 16, and now holds the second-most triple-doubles in Pistons franchise history.
Tim Hardaway Jr. led Detroit in scoring with 27 points, while Malik Beasley contributed 18 as the Pistons continued their strong run, winning for the ninth time in 11 games.
Immanuel Quickley paced the Raptors with 25 points, while Scottie Barnes posted a double-double with 16 and 11 rebounds. Despite seven Toronto players reaching double figures, the team suffered its fifth consecutive loss and has dropped 16 of its last 17 games.
Quickley’s jumper tied the game at 109 with five minutes remaining, but Toronto’s struggles at the free-throw line proved costly. The Raptors missed four straight free throws, allowing Detroit to regain control. Cunningham capitalized, hitting a short jumper with 3:48 left to give the Pistons a 113-109 lead, which they never relinquished.
Takeaways
Raptors: Toronto had a critical fourth-quarter possession in which they secured three offensive rebounds but still came up empty, highlighting their late-game inefficiency.
Pistons: Head coach J.B. Bickerstaff has solidified Ausar Thompson’s spot in the starting lineup in place of Jaden Ivey. However, Malik Beasley remains the go-to option in crunch time as the team’s sixth man.
Key Moment
Toronto took a slim 66-65 lead into halftime, but Hardaway Jr. took over in the third quarter, scoring 11 points as the Pistons built a 99-93 advantage heading into the final period.
Key Stat
Detroit struggled with turnovers early, committing 10 in the first half, which led to 19 Toronto points. However, the Raptors failed to take advantage in the second half, scoring four points off seven Pistons turnovers.
Up Next
Both teams return to action on Monday. The Raptors will host the Golden State Warriors, while the Pistons will head to New York to take on the Knicks.
