Cade Cunningham totaled 42 points, 13 assists and eight rebounds as the Detroit Pistons pulled away in the second half and completed a season sweep of the host New York Knicks with a 126-111 victory on Thursday.
Detroit won the three meetings by a combined 84 points, improving its winning streak vs. New York to six games. The Knicks had won the previous 16 matchups between the teams.
Cunningham made 17 of 34 shots and posted his third 40-point game of the season. The guard made five of Detroit’s 13 3-pointers, finished four points shy of his season and career best and notched his 28th double-double of the campaign as the Pistons won for the ninth time in 11 games.
Paul Reed filled in for Jalen Duren (NBA suspension) and contributed 18 points, seven rebounds and three blocks. Tobias Harris chipped in 11 points and 10 rebounds while Ausar Thompson finished with 10 points.
The Pistons missed nine of their first 10 shots yet still shot 51.6% for the night.
Jalen Brunson led the Knicks with 33 points and eight assists. Karl Anthony-Towns added 21 points and 11 rebounds, but New York’s other three starters, Mikal Bridges, Josh Hart and OG Anunoby, combined for 27 points.
The Knicks shot 47.1% and made 8 of 35 3-point tries (22.9%).
After the slow start, Cunningham hit three treys and scored 14 points in the first quarter, helping Detroit build a 28-26 lead. The Pistons scored the final seven points of the half and held a 58-48 lead by the break after Thompson banked in a layup with 24.2 seconds left.
The Knicks missed 15 consecutive 3-point attempts to conclude the half.
Towns’ putback sliced the deficit to 62-60 with 8:54 left in the third quarter before the Pistons gradually surged ahead again.
Detroit’s Ronald Holland II hit an open trey and a reverse layup on consecutive trips for an 88-75 lead late in the third, and the Pistons took a 90-79 cushion into the fourth.
Detroit began sealing matters when Caris LeVert hit an open 3-pointer for a 97-81 lead with 9:33 left. A putback by Dannis Jenkins following a turnover put the Pistons up 104-85 with 7:50 to go, and Cunningham reached 40 points with a step-back trey for a 112-97 lead with 4:37 remaining.
