The Detroit Pistons beat the Philadelphia 76ers 106-93 on Sunday at Xfinity Mobile Arena, using a dominant first quarter to improve to 3-0 to start the season. Cade Cunningham finished with 26 points, eight rebounds and eight assists to lead Detroit, which moved to the top of the early Central Division standings.
Detroit built the game’s only real separation in the opening 12 minutes, outscoring Philadelphia 34-22 and never trailing. Tyrese Maxey led the 76ers with 29 points, but Philadelphia shot just 40% from the field and 26% from three, falling to 3-1.
Key Moments And How Detroit Pistons Beat 76ers 106-93
Detroit opened the game on a 17-4 run that included three-pointers from Cunningham and John Collins, a layup from Daniss Jenkins and a 6-foot jumper that pushed the lead to double digits before the first quarter was half over. The Pistons extended the margin to 20-4 on a Duncan Robinson three with 7:27 left in the first, and Philadelphia never got closer than 11 points the rest of the way.
Detroit’s largest lead reached 21 points, and the 76ers managed zero lead changes all game, according to the official box score. The Pistons controlled the glass 54-37 and dominated the offensive glass 15-9, but Philadelphia’s interior defense held Detroit’s paint scoring to 42 points against Philadelphia’s 52.
Top Performers From The Pistons 106-93 Win
Cunningham’s 26-point, eight-rebound, eight-assist line paced four Pistons in double figures. Duncan Robinson added 21 points on 6-of-12 shooting, including 5-of-9 from three, while John Collins posted 16 points and a game-high 11 rebounds. Daniss Jenkins contributed 18 points, eight rebounds and six assists off the bench in 38 minutes.
For Philadelphia, Maxey’s 29 points on 11-of-24 shooting led all scorers. LeBron James added 18 points and five assists, and Jaylen Brown scored 16 points but shot just 5-of-20 from the field. Adem Bona grabbed a team-high 13 rebounds in 25 minutes.
What It Means
Detroit’s 3-0 start puts the Pistons alone atop the Central Division with a one-game lead over Indiana and Cleveland. Philadelphia, which dropped to 3-1, still leads the Atlantic Division by half a game over Toronto despite the loss. The Pistons also took a 1-0 lead in the season series between the two teams.
Detroit’s defense held Philadelphia to 11 total turnovers but forced enough misses to offset a 16-9 fast break deficit, winning largely through half-court execution and the boards rather than forcing extra possessions.
What’s Next
The Pistons look to keep their perfect start going in their next game. Philadelphia will look to bounce back after falling to 3-1.
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