Cade Cunningham returned from a three-game absence and posted a double-double to help the visiting Detroit Pistons to a 120-112 victory over the Atlanta Hawks, extending their NBA-best winning streak to 11 games.
Cunningham, who missed time with a left hip contusion, had 25 points, 10 assists and six rebounds as the Pistons ended Atlanta’s five-game winning streak. It was Cunningham’s fifth straight game with a double-double and eighth of the season.
The Hawks cut what had been a 19-point deficit to 108-106 with 1:36 remaining, but Cunningham answered with back-to-back baskets to put the game away.
Detroit got 24 points and eight rebounds from Jalen Duren, 14 points apiece from Duncan Robinson and Daniss Jenkins and 13 points and nine rebounds from Isaiah Stewart. The winning streak is the Pistons’ longest since an 11-game run in 2007-08. The franchise record is 13 games, achieved in both 1989-90 and 2003-04.
The Pistons exploited the inside since the Hawks were playing without big men Kristaps Porzingis, who missed his third game because of right knee soreness, and Zaccharie Risacher, who is sidelined due to a left hip contusion. Detroit scored 66 points in the paint.
Atlanta was led by Jalen Johnson with 25 points, nine assists and eight rebounds. Nickeil Alexander-Walker scored 24 points and Onyeka Okongwu scored 21 before fouling out. Mouhamed Gueye had his first double-double of the season with 11 points and a season-high 11 rebounds.
The Pistons, who never trailed, led 35-30 after one quarter and stretched the lead to 19 points near the midpoint of the second before taking a 67-54 advantage into the break. Detroit had a 16-point lead with 44 seconds left in the third quarter and led 94-82 going into the fourth quarter.
The Hawks open a two-game road trip on Thursday at San Antonio. The Pistons, who opened a four-game road trip on Tuesday, are off until they play Saturday at Milwaukee.
