Cade Cunningham Scores Career-High 52 as Pistons Beat Wizards in 2OT
Cunningham added 11 assists with no turnovers, and Detroit survived two Washington buzzer-beaters to win 144-140.
The Wizards hit two buzzer-beaters. Cade Cunningham still won the night.
Cunningham scored a career-high 52 points with 11 assists, and the Detroit Pistons outlasted the Washington Wizards 144-140 in double overtime on Thursday night in Washington, per the AP recap on ESPN. Washington has now lost six straight.
Cade Cunningham 52 points: the numbers
This wasn’t a volume night. It was close to perfect.
| Stat | Cunningham |
|---|---|
| Points | 52 (career high) |
| Field goals | 16 of 25 |
| 3-pointers | 3 of 5 |
| Free throws | 17 of 18 |
| Assists / Rebounds | 11 / 5 |
| Turnovers | 0 |
| Minutes | 48 |
That zero is the stat that jumps off the page. Cunningham became the first NBA player with 50 points, 10 assists and no turnovers since the league started tracking turnovers in 1977-78, according to OptaSTATS.
His old career high was 46, which he scored just over a year ago, also against Washington. That one took him 45 shots in an overtime win in Detroit, as the AP reported at the time. This one took 25.
Two buzzer-beaters, two overtimes
Washington wouldn’t go away. Trae Young’s 3-pointer at the buzzer forced the first overtime. The Wizards then opened OT with the first seven points to lead 128-121.
Cunningham rallied Detroit, and rookie AJ Dybantsa’s midrange jumper with less than a second left sent it to a second overtime.
That’s where it turned. Cunningham opened 2OT with a quick 3-pointer, and Anthony Davis fouled out. It was still a two-point game in the final minute until Cunningham scored off the baseline to make it 142-138 with 25.3 seconds left.
Ausar Thompson’s first triple-double
Cunningham had help. Ausar Thompson posted the first triple-double of his career with 17 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists. Daniss Jenkins scored 21 before fouling out, Paul Reed had 13 points and 11 rebounds and was a game-best plus-25, and Duncan Robinson added 13.
Three Wizards with 30, still a loss
Washington had its first trio of 30-point scorers since Mike Davis, Earl Monroe and Gus Johnson did it for the Baltimore Bullets on Nov. 18, 1969.
- Trae Young: 37 points and 14 assists, but on 8-of-23 shooting (17 of 17 at the line)
- Anthony Davis: 30 points and 15 rebounds before fouling out
- Alex Sarr: 30 points on 12-of-14 shooting, including 10 of 10 in regulation
It’s Detroit’s second win over Washington in four games. The Pistons also survived Davis’ 44 points on Monday.
Up next
The Pistons visit Miami on Saturday night. The Wizards host Houston on Sunday night, trying to snap the skid.
Elsewhere around the East, Boston pulled off its own 22-point comeback in Toronto, and the Knicks fell to James Harden and the Cavaliers.
Sources: ESPN box score and AP recap, AP (2025 game)
