Pistons join NBA elites as Cade Cunningham hammers Hawks
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The Detroit Pistons continued their wave of momentum with another road victory. Their 114-104 win over the Atlanta Hawks placed them among the NBA’s superiors. The double-digit victory marked their highest number of wins, at nine, through January, tying them with the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Detroit officially moves ahead of Atlanta to the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference with a 23-21 record. Franchise point guard Cade Cunningham declared he wanted to finish the season in the sixth seed or better on NBA on TNT. The Pistons are on track to lock a playoff spot for the first time since 2019.
The Hawks trailed by as many as 22 points on their home floor against the Pistons. Detroit’s lead was down to ten late in the fourth quarter due to some sloppy offensive play. Head coach J.B. Bickerstaff spoke to the media after the victory about the importance of playing free with a lead to close the game.
“There’s an understanding of what’s at stake, and there’s an understanding of who we are. This team is at its best when we’re having fun,” Bickerstaff stated. “There’s a lesson to be learned in having too much fun, which is where I thought we ended the game. We could’ve been much more sound with some of the decisions and plays we were trying to make. When this team plays with a collective joy, we have an opportunity to win basketball games.”
Defensive focus leads the Detroit Pistons to victory
Bickerstaff has emphasized the necessity of being a defensive-minded club to play winning basketball. The Pistons turned in one of their best team efforts defensively against the Hawks by holding them to 37.9 percent from the field and 15.8 percent from 3-point range. Point guard Trae Young was limited to one of his quietest scoring games of the year, with 13 points on 5-of-13 shooting from the field and 1-of-4 shooting from 3. Bickerstaff gave his insight on where the credit was most deserved for the defensive focus.
“It started with Ausar (Thompson). To begin the game, I thought Ausar did a great job, and throughout his minutes of using his length, using his size to make it difficult on him. When you’re guarding a guy like that, it’s never a one-on-one job,” Bickerstaff explained. “Big guys have to be in their spots contributing; they have to be early. It’s a five-man job, and I thought our guys did a great job of that.”
The Pistons managed to capitalize on defensive stops with efficient scoring on the other end to build their lead. Detroit shot 50 percent from the field against Atlanta, hitting 42-of-84 shots from the field.
Cunningham continues to surge with dominant play, scoring 29 points, dishing eleven assists, grabbing six rebounds, and blocking two shots. The 6-foot-7 point guard has been on a tear in January, averaging 26.1 points, 8.7 assists, and 6.1 rebounds through 12 games. His dominance and team success could have him in serious consideration for Eastern Conference Player of the Month in January.
Detroit contributed a useful 43 points from their second unit against the Hawks. Shooting guard Malik Beasley continues his hot shooting by scoring 19 points in his sixth-man role. Forward Simone Fontecchio put up 13 points as a reserve off the bench.
The Pistons have seemed to hit a groove since adding Thompson to the starting lineup. Thompson added 16 points and three steals to complement his elite-level defense guarding Trae Young. Center Jalen Duren was a force with his 17th double-double, scoring 14 points and pulling down 12 rebounds.
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