The Detroit Pistons faced off against the Washington Wizards in a thrilling contest during Friday’s NBA action. The Pistons managed to halt an eight-game slide with a hard-fought 96-87 victory.
On a night that promised little but delivered much, Detroit’s young squad, led by Cade Cunningham‘s 33 points, clawed back into the contest. The Wizards, led by Corey Kispert‘s 23 points, erased Detroit’s 19-point lead and set the stage for a nail-biting finish.
Yet, as the final quarter unfolded, Detroit rediscovered its form. The Pistons, struggling initially with missed shots, found their rhythm just in time. Cunningham’s three-point play was a turning point, pushing the Pistons ahead 89-83. His efforts were not just offensive; a critical defensive play highlighted his impact on the game.
“I thought one of the biggest plays of the night was Cade’s block in transition,” Pistons coach Monty Williams said. “That was a momentum-changing play.”
NBA NEWS & SCORES: Cade Cunningham, Jalen Duren, Detroit Pistons, Washington Wizards Updates
With a powerhouse performance of 20 points and 18 rebounds, Jalen Duren dominated the paint. His third game against Washington this season with at least 18 rebounds was no coincidence.
“I don’t know. I guess they just don’t have nobody to keep me off the glass,” Duren said. “It’s no different than every night. I try to go out and dominate the boards. That’s something that I always try to bring to our team.”
The game also saw contributions from Jaden Ivey and Evan Fournier, who added 13 and 10 points, respectively, for Detroit. Deni Avdija and Marvin Bagley III fought valiantly, with Avdija nearly securing a triple-double and Bagley contributing a double-double. Kispert lamented the team’s slow start, attributing it to a lack of readiness.
“We were stuck in the mud and kind of spinning our wheels a little bit in the first half – got away from a lot of things that were good for us in the last couple of games,” Kispert said. “It’s all about the way we approach these games, and if you’re not ready to play when the ball goes up, any team in the league can beat anybody. We don’t have enough wins, we’re not good enough, to come to games not ready to play.”
NBA NEWS & SCORES: Cade Cunningham, Jalen Duren, Detroit Pistons, Washington Wizards Updates
Williams acknowledged the team’s desire for more comfortable wins despite the victory and recognized the value of these hard-fought battles.
“We’d love to blow people out and be less stressful down the stretch,” Williams said. “But for us, to be in those moments, especially for our young guards to come through like that, for sure they’re going to grow, and it’s great to grow with a win.”
NBA NEWS & SCORES: Cade Cunningham, Jalen Duren, Detroit Pistons, Washington Wizards Updates
As the Pistons and Wizards move on to their following matchups, Detroit will host Memphis and Washington will host Miami.
