Detroit Pistons Outlast Oklahoma City Thunder Behind Cade Cunningham’s Masterclass

Jacob Perrine
Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (2) dribbles on Oklahoma City Thunder guard Luguentz Dort (5) in the first half.

After dropping their previous game against the San Antonio Spurs on Monday, the Detroit Pistons got back on track tonight as they pulled out a win over the short-handed Oklahoma City Thunder in a 124-116 finish in the “Motor City”.

Cunningham Continues To Build Potential MVP Case In Another Stellar Outing

As the Pistons move one inch closer to securing both the top seed in the East and perhaps the best record in the NBA this season, the 2025-26 MVP award looks more and more like a lock for Pistons’ superstar Cade Cunningham. The two-time All-Star put together another gem of a performance tonight against the undermanned Thunder, as he finished with 29 points and 13 assists while also adding in 3 steals and 3 blocks.

That high level of playmaking by Cunningham fed directly into another great night for Pistons star big man Jalen Duren on the offensive end. Duren had a monster double-double of 29 points and 15 rebounds. Duren is currently in the midst of the best season of his career, as he’s averaging a career-high 18 points per game to go along with 11 rebounds per contest.

Although the Pistons offense struggled mightily from beyond the arc, as they only shot 33% from the three-point line, it was an overall efficient night for Detroit. The Pistons shot 54% from the field against the Thunder, and would decimate Oklahoma City on the glass. They outrebounded the defending champions 52-37. The Pistons would also be highly aggressive attacking the paint against the undersized Thunder, as they finished with 70 points in the paint.

Thunder Put Up a Good Fight Despite the Platoon of Injuries

In a story that’s become all too familiar for Thunder fans over the past two weeks, the reserves for Oklahoma City put together a valiant effort in another loss. The most notable performances came from backup Center Jaylin Williams and backup Guard Cason Wallace. Williams dropped a career-high 30 points to go along with 11 rebounds, while Wallace dropped 23 points and 5 assists tonight.

Coming into the game, the Thunder injury report was stacked across the board, with 4 of the Thunder’s 5 starters not suiting up. The injury bug continued to haunt the Thunder even during the game, as backup Guard Isaiah Joe exited tonight’s game early with a left glute contusion. Oklahoma City is hoping to get its All-Star players, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams, back.

Despite shooting just 40% from the field for the game, the Thunder offense had some success against the stout Pistons defense, particularly from the three-point line. The Thunder would double up Detroit from beyond the arc, as they hit 18 threes at 37% clip in the loss. Both the three-point line and free-throw line were the key reasons the Thunder were able to cut into Detroit’s 17-point lead late, as they shot 20-of-21 from the charity stripe for the game.

Piston’s Overtake OKC for Best Record in the League

After spending much of the season right behind the Thunder for the best record in the league, the Pistons can finally crown themselves as the top team in the NBA for the time being. Detroit currently possesses a 43-14 record and is on pace to finish with over 60 wins this season. If the Pistons finish the season with 60 wins, it’ll be the first time the franchise has won 60 games in a regular season since the 2005-06 Chauncey Billups-led Pistons squad.

For the Thunder, this latest loss puts their hold on the top seed in the West in huge jeopardy, as they now sit just two games ahead of the San Antonio Spurs, who won their 10th straight game earlier tonight against the Toronto Raptors. The Spurs also hold the tiebreaker over the Thunder, as they won the regular-season series over the defending champions.