The Detroit Pistons turnaround just reached another historic landmark. The Pistons’ 148-143 victory against the Atlanta Hawks marked their sixth straight win in a row. This achievement moved the team’s record to 31-26 and sparked their first six-game winning streak since 2014-15.
That winning streak from a decade ago reached seven games, and the Pistons of today have a chance to match that on Monday at home against the Los Angeles Clippers.
The Pistons continue to impress as one of the best stories in the NBA this season. Their playoff pursuit is well within reach as they currently hold the Eastern Conference sixth seed in their grasp. They sit only 1.5 games behind the fifth-seed Milwaukee Bucks. There could be plenty of movement throughout the conference before the final 25 games wrap up.
Cade Cunningham prevails in guard duel with Trae Young
One of the biggest focal points of Sunday’s contest was the matchup between the All-Star franchise guards Cade Cunningham and Trae Young. Cunningham outlasted the battle and showed out for the Pistons with 38 points, 12 assists, and seven rebounds. He also knocked down seven triples and blocked three shots, making him the first player in NBA history to achieve that stat line.
Detroit’s first-time All-Star opened up with a hot start, putting up 29 points and ten assists in the first half against the Hawks. Atlanta was so determined to cool Cunningham off that they started double-teaming him full court to start the second half to force the ball out of his hands. Head coach J.B. Bickerstaff shared his admiration for Cunningham’s performance in his postgame media session.
“He is just a dynamic offensive player. It’s interesting because of his size and strength. You don’t typically see the finesse and the touch that he can play with when the ball is in his hands. Normally, guys that are built like that just don’t have that kind of hand-eye-coordination and skill,” Bickerstaff explained via NBA.com. “He’s an elite passer and playmaker. We trust him with the ball in his hands. They wanted to trap Cade early to start the second half. We’re fortunate to have him.”
The excellent playmaking of the Pistons continues to blossom on the way to their sixth consecutive win. Each of the victories on their streak have featured at least 30 assists as a team. That trend continued as Detroit finished with 39 assists on their to defeating Atlanta.
Young kept the Hawks alive with an explosive night of his own. Atlanta’s premiere guard scored 38 points on 10-of-24 shooting from the field, 6-of-15 from three, and 12-of-15 from the free throw line. Young’s playmaking was also on high display with 13 assists.
Dennis Schroder continues to grow with the Pistons
To prove their seriousness for a postseason run, the Pistons acquired veteran point guard Dennis Schroder in a blockbuster deal at the NBA Trade Deadline. The 31-year-old guard put together his best performance out of five games as a Piston with 16 points and seven assists off the bench.
Detroit’s second-unit has looked more organized offensively since using Schroder as the orchestrator. Bickerstaff has also utilized the veteran in closing lineups to take pressure off of Cunningham. Bickerstaff spoke to the media about the benefit of adding Schroder to the roster for the Pistons.
“You need a guy who has courage, and this is what we envisioned when we made the trade for him. Being in the lineup where he can help us finish. He rose to the occasion tonight,” Bickerstaff stated via Coty Davis of the Detroit News. “He was really good defensively, too, in understanding his assignment and keeping guys in front of him to finish the game for us.”
Seven different players scored in double-figures for the Pistons. Malik Beasley finished the night with 24 points, including some clutch shots late to keep the lead intact for Detroit. Tim Hardaway Jr. had a nice bounce-back outing with 18 points in 28 minutes. Ausar Thompson struggled with foul trouble all game and still managed to put up 14 points and three steals
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