Cade Cunningham shines as Pistons dump Rockets to open 5-game road trip

Coty M. Davis, The Detroit News on Jan 20, 2025

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HOUSTON — Cade Cunningham and Jalen Green are forever linked to one of the most infamous videos on social media.

Both players were high school prospects with Team USA when Cunningham completed a between-the-legs dunk and playfully smacked Green's face on his way down the court. Green had some choice words for Cunningham, which led to a rivalry between the two players.

"It was all fun and games," Cunningham told The Detroit News. "It was Team USA. We had a lot of good players in the gym. It was all fun and games."

A few years later, Cunningham and Green would headline an MLK showdown between the Detroit Pistons and the Houston Rockets, the two respective franchises that selected each player Nos. 1 and 2 in the 2021 NBA Draft. On Monday afternoon, Cunningham got the best of Green in a 107-96 win for the Pistons at Toyota Center.

Cunningham led the Pistons with 32 points, nine rebounds and seven assists, though he also had 10 turnovers. He scored 17 of Detroit's 23 points in the third quarter, and his All-Star-worthy performance led to a 90-80 lead.

Detroit ended its two-game losing streak while improving to 22-21 overall.

"He has taken a leap this year, even some last year," Rockets coach Ime Udoka said. "He is playing at an All-Star level. He is leading the team in triple-doubles. You always saw the poised and his well-rounded game. And now, being injury-free, with some new guys around him, I think it has helped him take that leap."

Green, the reigning Western Conference Player of the Week, finished with 19 points (8 for 20 on field goals, including 2 of 8 on 3s). Alperen Sengun, who the Rockets traded for during the 2021 NBA Draft, added 11 points and eight rebounds.

Coach J.B. Bickerstaff was more than pleased with the Pistons' fast start. They came out of the gates firing on all cylinders, shooting 61.5% in the first quarter, to take a 40-29 lead. Jalen Duren (16 points and 14 rebounds) was vital to the Pistons' fast start, recording 12 points and five rebounds during the period.

Marcus Sasser's layup with 11:19 left in the second quarter gave the Pistons their largest lead of the game. Detroit held a 15-point advantage (44-29), but the Rockets began to find their momentum shortly after. Houston improved its play on both ends and embarked on a 16-0 run. They held the Pistons to just 17 points during the period. By halftime, the Pistons and Rockets were tied at 57.

The Rockets cut their 10-point deficit to five following Green's 3-pointer; however, Sasser helped the Pistons embark on a 5-0 run with a layup and a triple in Detroit's next two possessions to halt the Rockets' momentum. The former University of Houston star came off the bench and added eight points off the bench.

Malik Beasley, who came into the game shooting 23.1% from deep over the previous two games, shot 5 of 12 from the field with three made triples. He added 15 points in 29 minutes.

Fred VanVleet led the Rockets with 20 points. Amen Thompson added 17 points, six rebounds and five assists.

Observations and notes vs. Rockets

— Thompson twins: The Pistons' second and final meeting of the season featured a matchup between Amen and Ausar Thompson. With Detroit taking the road victory, Ausar won his first NBA game against his twin brother, trailing 1-2 in the all-time series. Ausar recorded 11 points and nine rebounds.

— Turnovers continue to hamper Detroit's performance: The Pistons went from arguably their best quarter of the season to one of their worst. In the second quarter, they gave up a 15-point lead. Although the Pistons' defense stagnated, turnovers were crucial. The Pistons committed seven turnovers during the period. Their inability to take care of the ball led to a 17-point period.

— Holland's injury: Ron Holland II had a funny moment late in the first quarter. He connected on a 3-point field goal, and the lights inside the Toyota Center went out. However, a few minutes later, Holland bumped knees with Amen and spent most of the second quarter receiving treatment. After a pair of treatments and time on the stationary bike, Holland returned to the game late in the third quarter and played 16 minutes.

Up next

The Pistons will travel to Atlanta on Wednesday night to continue their five-game road trip against the Hawks. They will then head to Orlando on Saturday for a game against the Magic. Tip-off between the Pistons and Hawks is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET at State Farm Arena.

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