DETROIT — It looked bleak for the Detroit Pistons on Monday night with overtime already halfway over. The Miami Heat started the final five minutes on an 8-0 run that capped off a 34-7 run with 2:14 remaining in OT to take a 122-114 lead over the Pistons. Coach J.B. Bickerstaff took a timeout to gather Detroit and Little Caesars Arena was on edge.
The collective discomfort among spectators in the arena lasted for the length of the Pistons’ timeout, in which Tim Hardaway Jr. channeled his inner 2012 Ray Allen. Just for a refresher, the two-time NBA champion shot a career-best 45.3 percent from 3-point range with the Boston Celtics that season. Too much? You tell me.
Hardaway drained three consecutive triples in less than a minute of game time, all on assists from Cade Cunningham. Cunningham dished out a career-high 18 dimes to just four turnovers en route to a 125-124 win for Detroit. Cunningham scored the game-winning layup over the outstretched arms of Terry Rozier and Bam Adebayo with 37.5 seconds left.
Apart from a few difficult 3s from Heat guard Tyler Herro down the stretch, the majority of Miami’s points on their run came from lackluster defense and missed assignments from the Pistons on boxouts and cuts.
Cunningham went 2-of-9 shooting in the fourth and overtime for seven of his 20 points and two of his four turnovers. His 11 rebounds notched his sixth triple-double of the season, which is the third-most behind multi-MVP winners LeBron James and Nikola Jokić. But what was most important was the Pistons’ ability to find ways to get other players going with Cunningham ultimately shooting 41.2 percent on the evening.
This could potentially bode well for the future to either lighten Cunningham’s load of responsibilities as the 82-game season wears on or simply on nights when Cunningham doesn’t have it rolling.
“It’s who these guys have been,” Bickerstaff said at his postgame news conference. “There’s certain things that we still have to figure out but competing for 48 minutes typically hasn’t been one of those things. Staying together in adverse moments hasn’t been one of those things. That’s the identity of this team. When you have that, mix in the talent, you’re going to give yourself a chance to compete.”
While Detroit indeed competed and Hardaway led the charge late, Malik Beasley provided consistent production from tipoff.
Beasley, who now only trails Herro by one 3-pointer and is fourth in the league in made 3s entering Tuesday, scored at least five points and made a triple in each quarter. The Florida State product posted a team- and season-high 28 points on seven shots from behind the arc, which also tied his season high. His season high in made 3s was previously set just two games ago in a win over the New York Knicks.
Ausar Thompson also added to the Pistons’ steady production outside of Cunningham, narrowly missing a 20-point double-double. The second-year wing finished with 19 points on 8-of-14 shooting and 1 of 3 from long range to go with nine rebounds and four steals. Thompson’s points, steals and boards were all season-high numbers as well.
When asked about navigating challenges along his journey back to the court after a shortened rookie season and a sophomore season delayed due to complications when blood clots, in typical Thompson fashion, he gave a thoughtful answer that offered a window into his insightful mindset at just 21 years old.
“It’s challenging, but you know, there’s a lot more challenging things in life,” Thompson said. “Just always keeping perspective that someone else has something harder than me.”
As for Cunningham, who is now one of four East guards including LaMelo Ball, Damian Lillard and Jalen Brunson to be top 25 in the league in points and assists per game this season, he continued with his best individual season as a professional. Cunningham’s 23.5 points per contest are the 24th-most in the association, but his 9.7 assists per outing rank third in the NBA.
Both are on pace to be career bests for the 2021 No. 1 pick. But Cunningham still feels he can continue to elevate his game, even after a career night.
Talked to Cade Cunningham postgame about his playmaking, the turnovers and how aware he is of protecting the ball as much as he has it.
“I think I’ve still got a long way to go. When I watch film I always see something that’s like, I should’ve did this or should’ve did that.” pic.twitter.com/Ady5S1vsBm
— Hunter Patterson (@HuntPatterson_) December 17, 2024
“I think I’ve still got a long way to go,” Cunningham told The Athletic. “When I watch film I always see something that’s like, I should’ve did this, should’ve did that, should’ve did this better. I think I’ve got a long way to go but I still feel like I’m at the top of the league as far as being able to play make and get my teammates their stuff and still make plays for myself, too.”
Our conversation extended past just his playmaking and got more into how he balances valuing the ball with taking chances to create plays.
“I know that I have to take risks,” Cunningham said. “It comes with it. To be able to make plays, a lot of times, the holes are closing quick on you. It’s a lot of athletic guys. You have to trust what you see and just make the play. But at the same time, there’s a fine line between being careless and reckless with it and also being sharp.
“I just try to be as sharp as possible while still being aggressive and make plays for my team.”
GO DEEPER
Cade Cunningham’s MSG triple-double grows All-Star case as Pistons down Knicks
Cunningham’s evening aside, teams in the upper echelon of the league that Detroit hopes to one day join wouldn’t have allowed the Heat back in the game, but the reality is the Pistons did and nearly suffered a late-game collapse. This is a team still in the process of establishing itself, but Monday’s victory by committee is a win Detroit will take and look to learn from, though it knows it shouldn’t have been in overtime in the first place.
The Pistons improved to 11-16 on the season, 10th in the Eastern Conference and are still in the Play-In race.
Detroit will host the Utah Jazz (5-20) on Thursday before embarking on its first of two four-game trips this season. The Pistons travel to Phoenix to take on the Suns on Dec. 21 for their first game on the West Coast before flying to Los Angeles, Sacramento and Denver on what will likely be a nine- to 10-day trip before returning to Detroit.
(Photo of Cade Cunningham and Jalen Duren celebrating the OT win: Gregory Shamus / Getty Images)
