Cade Cunningham’s clutch dunk and second-half surge powered the Detroit Pistons to a 111-108 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers, extending their winning streak to six games. The Eastern Conference-leading Pistons improved to 8-2, their best start in nearly two decades, while the 76ers fell to 6-4 despite a valiant effort from Tyrese Maxey.
The game at Xfinity Center in Philadelphia saw Detroit take an early 37-32 lead after the first quarter, but the Pistons faltered in the second period. Committing nine turnovers that resulted in 13 points for Philadelphia, Detroit was outscored 32-17 and trailed 64-54 at halftime. Cunningham managed just two points on 1-of-9 shooting in the first half, while Maxey and Jabari Walker each scored eight points in the quarter for the 76ers.
Philadelphia extended their lead to 79-66 in the third quarter with an 11-0 run highlighted by Andre Drummond’s interior play. However, Cunningham erupted for 17 points in the frame, drawing fouls and converting free throws to spark a 10-0 Pistons response. Detroit seized an 88-85 lead heading into the fourth quarter, setting the stage for a dramatic finish.
The final minutes featured several momentum shifts. With the score tied at 101-101, Cunningham capped a 9-3 Detroit run with a powerful dunk over Drummond, drawing a foul from Kelly Oubre Jr. and completing the three-point play to give the Pistons a 109-104 advantage with 1:51 remaining. Maxey immediately responded with a steal and dunk on Cunningham, then added two free throws to cut the deficit to 109-108 with 31.4 seconds left.
Cunningham answered with a clutch fadeaway jumper from near the free-throw line, putting Detroit up 111-108 with 16.9 seconds on the clock. After a Philadelphia timeout, Maxey’s potential game-tying three-pointer rimmed out as time expired, securing the Pistons’ victory. Cunningham finished with 26 points and 11 assists, while Jalen Duren contributed 21 points and 16 rebounds for Detroit.
Maxey led all scorers with 33 points for the 76ers, receiving “MVP” chants from the home crowd in the fourth quarter. Drummond, starting in place of the injured Joel Embiid, added 17 points and 12 rebounds. Embiid missed the game for knee management after playing the previous night, part of his ongoing recovery from offseason surgery.
The Pistons’ sixth straight win reinforces their status as early-season contenders in the East. Detroit will host the Washington Wizards on Monday, while Philadelphia faces the Boston Celtics on Tuesday as both teams continue their pursuit of playoff positioning.
