7 Detroit Pistons (but not Cade Cunningham) score in double figures vs 76ers
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The Detroit Pistons marched to yet another blowout win against a depleted Eastern Conference foe.
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They defeated the Philadelphia 76ers at Little Caesars Arena, 131-109, on Thursday, March 12, for their second victory in a row after dropping a season-high four straight games. Coming off of a 138-100 road victory against the Brooklyn Nets, the Pistons remained hot at home, shooting 53.9% overall against a Sixers team missing its top players.
The Pistons led by as many as 35 points thanks to the work of double-digit scorers Duncan Robinson (19 points, four assists). Javonte Green (17 points, three steals), Tobias Harris (15 points), Ron Holland (15 points), Jalen Duren (14 points, 10 rebounds), Isaiah Stewart (13 points, two blocks) and Kevin Huerter (12 points). Cade Cunningham added eight points and 13 assists. It was Cunningham's first game scoring less than 10 points in more than two years, dating back to a March 3, 2024, loss to the Orlando Magic.
Detroit Pistons playoff picture
With the win, the Pistons (47-18) stretched their lead over the Boston Celtics for the East’s top seed to four games; the Celtics faced the West-leading Thunder in a game that ended later Thursday night. The Pistons also improved their lead in the Centra Division to 7½ games on the Cleveland Cavaliers, who were idle. With 17 games to play, the Pistons are 11 games up on the Toronto Raptors, the 7-seed in the East.
Next up for the Pistons
Detroit won’t have much time to celebrate this win, as the Pistons play the second game of a back-to-back on Friday (7:30 p.m., FanDuel Sports Network Detroit) against the Memphis Grizzlies. At least the Pistons won’t have to go far to face the Grizz, though; that one will be at Little Caesars Arena, too, before they head out on a three-game road trip to Toronto and Washington.
Medical roll call
The Sixers were without leading scorer Tyrese Maxey, who will miss at least the next three weeks with a tendon injury in his right pinky finger, star center Joel Embiid (right oblique strain), forward Paul George, who is serving a 25-game suspension, wing Kelly Oubre (left elbow sprain), and centers Andre Drummond (back spasms) and Adem Bona (back soreness). The Pistons were without Ausar Thompson (right ankle sprain) for the fourth game in a row.
Cade Cunningham picks Sixers apart with passing
It wasn’t Cunningham’s flashiest night, or most impactful. In fact, it was his lowest-scoring outing of the season and his first time falling short of scoring at least 10 points. But it was an efficient outing all the same, with Cunningham’s playmaking setting the tone for the Pistons throughout the night.
He dished out four of the Pistons' first five assists amid a 22-10 run to open the first period, opening the game with a layup before finding Robinson and Harris for back-to-back 3-pointers. Nine of his 13 assists came during the first half, during which the Pistons shot 57.8% overall and 42.1% (8-for-19) from 3.
Cunningham checked out for good with 1:50 remaining in the third quarter, with the Pistons leading 102-78. On the first half of a back-to-back, he played just 28 minutes — the second straight game the Pistons were able to keep him under 30. Cunningham has carried one of the heaviest burdens in the league, tied for ninth in minutes with James Harden at 35 a night.
Pistons emerging out of shooting slump
Cold shooting was a theme during the Pistons’ two-week slump, which included a four-game losing streak and underwhelming performances in home wins over the Cleveland Cavaliers (without Harden or Donovan Mitchell) and Oklahoma City Thunder (who were missing Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the rest of their starting five).
The Pistons made fewer than 10 3-pointers in five straight games from Feb. 23-March 3, knocking down just 24.3% of their total 3-point tries in that stretch and going 3-2 overall. In their last four games leading into Thursday, they shot 39.8% and continued their hot streak by shooting 40% (14-for-35) beyond the arc against the Sixers.
Robinson, who made five of his seven 3-pointers against Philadelphia, entered the game shooting 39.6% on 3s on the season and was 11-for-24 (45.8%) over his past five games.
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Contact Omari Sankofa II at [email protected]. Follow him on Bluesky and/or X @omarisankofa.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Pistons spread out the scoring in rout of Philadelphia 76ers