For the second consecutive game, Pistons guard Cade Cunningham came alive in the fourth quarter against Utah with a 19-point performance to help secure Detroit’s fourth straight win, 114-103. In all, Cunningham totalled 31 points on the night to go with 10 assists, three rebounds and a steal in another stunning performance for the Pistons’ All-Star. 

“My teammates put a lot of trust in me,” Cunningham said after the game. “I worked really hard on my game. I just try to showcase the best I can for my team and help us get wins.”

Down the stretch, Cunningham has shown not only the willingness but the ability to completely take over games in the fourth quarter. To score 19 in the final 12 minutes once in a season is impressive, but Cunningham has done so on consecutive nights, which is a testament to the high level he’s playing at right now. 

But Cade was not left single-handed in his efforts. Pistons center Jalen Duren more than pulled his weight with 22 points and 22 rebounds in the team’s 11-point win, which moved the club to No. 2 in the Eastern Conference.

During the first half, Duren continued his season-long assault on the rim, and he finished off a series of lobs and alley-oops from his running-mate in Cunningham, logging 18 points and 10 rebounds after two quarters. 

Going into the third quarter, the Pistons trailed 55-53, but Cunningham and Duren worked to quickly erase that deficit with some clever action in the pick-and-roll. At times, Cunningham would draw in help-side defenders before spotting a cutting Duren who had slipped behind the defense for a high-efficiency finish at the bucket. 

In the third, Detroit turned up the pressure on defense and outscored Utah 25-14 in that timespan, holding the Jazz without a field goal for the final four minutes of the quarter. 

“We got a lot of guys that can really guard,” Cunningham said. “That's what Coach preaches to us all day. He gave us a great game plan. It took us a while for us to execute at the level that he wanted us to, but he held us to that standard and guys made plays.”

No one lived up to that standard more than Cunningham down the stretch as he delivered another sensational performance. Cunningham dictated the flow of play late in the game and kept working the lane, hitting a slew of mid-range jumpers or finishing at the basket seemingly at will for 19 points. Of course, Cunningham dialed up a couple long-range shots and sunk a customary pair of triples in the final stanza as well to help seal the victory.

Helping the Pistons’ cause, Ausar Thompson posted 18 points, seven rebounds, three assists, one block and one steal in another all-around productive effort. Caris LeVert chipped in with 10 first half points, and Isaiah Stewart had 10 points and six rebounds on the night. 

Next, the Detroit Pistons, now at 6-2 on the year, will take on the Brooklyn Nets on the road on Friday, Nov. 7 at 7:30 pm. 

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