Cunningham's Historic 52 Lifts Pistons Past Wizards in Double Overtime

WASHINGTON — The Washington Wizards kept making last-second shots, and all it did was give Cade Cunningham more time to make history. Cunningham scored a career-high 52 points with 11 assists and no turnovers, carrying the Detroit Pistons to a 144-140 double-overtime victory over the Wizards on Thursday night at Capital One Arena.

The performance put Cunningham alone in the record book. He became the first NBA player since the league began tracking individual turnovers in 1977-78 to record at least 50 points and 10 assists in a game without committing a turnover, according to OptaSTATS. He is only the fifth player with a 50-point double-double and zero turnovers in a game since 1977-78, joining Michael Jordan, who did it twice, Moses Malone, Carmelo Anthony and Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Cunningham also became just the third Pistons player with a 50-point double-double, after George Yardley, who did it twice in the 1957-58 season, and Blake Griffin in 2018-19. His 52 points tied the fourth-highest single-game total in franchise history, behind Jerry Stackhouse's 57 in 2001, Kelly Tripucka's 56 in 1983 and Dave Bing's 54 in 1971, and level with Yardley's 52 in 1958. His previous career high was 46 points, set just over a year ago — also against Washington.

"It was the best I've ever done it in my NBA career for sure," Cunningham said. He had only 22 points after three quarters, then scored 18 in the fourth and 30 across the fourth quarter and the two overtimes — the most by a Pistons player in the play-by-play era, which began in 1997-98. He finished 16 of 25 from the field, 3 of 5 from three-point range and 17 of 18 from the free-throw line, adding five rebounds in just under 48 minutes of action.

The drama started at the end of regulation. Cunningham sank both free throws to give Detroit the lead, but Trae Young answered with a three-pointer at the buzzer to tie the score at 121 and force overtime. Washington then scored the first seven points of the extra period, and the Wizards looked ready to steal the game.

Cunningham refused to let it go. A jumper, two free throws and a three-pointer tied the score at 130, and Duncan Robinson put the Pistons ahead with a jumper. But rookie AJ Dybantsa, the top pick in this year's draft, tied it again with a midrange shot with less than a second left, sending the teams to a second overtime. Dybantsa had been left bloodied after a collision with Cunningham earlier in the game but refused to leave the court, and his shot forced the extra five minutes.

Detroit finally took control in the second overtime. Cunningham opened the period with a three-pointer that put the Pistons ahead 135-132, and Anthony Davis fouled out for Washington moments later after scoring 30 points with 15 rebounds. With the game still a two-point contest in the final minute, Cunningham scored from the baseline to make it 142-138 with 25.3 seconds left, and the Pistons held on from there.

Cunningham did not do it alone. Ausar Thompson recorded his first career triple-double with 17 points, 11 assists and 11 rebounds, and he was quick to credit his teammate. "He led us through the fourth quarter and overtimes," Thompson said. "He did what he does. One person can't just guard him."

Washington's defeat came despite a rare scoring night of its own. Young finished with 37 points and 14 assists while making all 17 of his free throws, Davis had 30 points and 15 rebounds, and Alex Sarr added 30 points. It was the first time the Wizards had three 30-point scorers in a game since Nov. 18, 1969, when the team was called the Baltimore Bullets and Mike Davis, Earl Monroe and Gus Johnson did it against the San Diego Rockets.

The game also featured four players picked first overall in the NBA draft — Dybantsa, Davis, Deandre Ayton and Cunningham — a fitting stage for a night that belonged to the youngest star among them.

The win improved Detroit to 8-3 and completed a sweep of the back-to-back set against Washington, the Pistons' second victory over the Wizards in four games. For Washington, the loss was a sixth in a row, and a night of historic scoring on both sides ended with the same result as so many of the Wizards' recent games — close, dramatic, and ultimately out of reach.