With the game on the line, time winding down and thoughts of Wednesday’s last-second loss to the Charlotte Hornets on the minds of many of their fans, the Detroit Pistons faced a situation with deja vu potential.
Cade Cunningham wouldn’t have it.
The 23-year-old took matters into his own hands in the closing seconds against the Atlanta Hawks, scoring the eventual game-winning layup with 8.5 seconds remaining and then meeting Atlanta’s Onyeka Okongwu at the summit on a last-second dunk attempt to seal a 122-121 victory for Detroit.
CADE BLOCK TO SEAL THE GAME 😤 https://t.co/f2UDwy0DRa pic.twitter.com/UbT79hCnvq
— NBA (@NBA) November 9, 2024
The ending was the capper on a 22-point night for Cunningham with 13 assists and 11 rebounds that linked him to one of the most talented players to put on a Detroit uniform. He joins Grant Hill as the only players in franchise history to record three straight triple-doubles. Cunningham is averaging 19.7 points, 11.3 assists and 10.7 rebounds over this three-game stretch.
It appeared another implosion might be on the horizon when the Pistons, after leading by 24 points at one point, found themselves trailing the Hawks by one point with 12.5 seconds remaining after Trae Young pump-faked his way into two free throws. Instead, Cunningham blew past Atlanta’s Dyson Daniels for a heavily contested lefty layup on the ensuing possession to put the Pistons back in front. Then, after Young broke down the Pistons’ defense, Cunningham rotated over as center Isaiah Stewart went to cut off Young’s driving lane to block Okongwu to seal the victory.
Cunningham is in the best stretch of his young career, and his performance against the Hawks was the latest installment of his work on the hardwood. He has led Detroit to wins in four of its last six games after the team began the season 0-4. The Pistons did not get their fourth win last season until Jan. 15.
Cade Cunningham records his 3RD-STRAIGHT TRIPLE-DOUBLE in the @DetroitPistons W!
🔥 22 PTS
🔥 11 REB
🔥 13 AST
🔥 Go-ahead bucket with 8 seconds
🔥 Game-saving block as time expires pic.twitter.com/dGf8RjA75Z— NBA (@NBA) November 9, 2024
(Photo: Nic Antaya / Getty Images)
