Cade Cunningham scored 42 points, dished out 13 assists, and grabbed 8 rebounds Thursday night as the Detroit Pistons defeated the Fresh York Knicks 126-111 at Madison Square Garden, completing a regular-season sweep of their Eastern Conference rivals.
The victory improves Detroit’s record to 41-13, the best in the NBA, and marks the third time this season the Pistons have defeated the Knicks by a margin of 28 points or greater. New York, previously considered a favorite in the East, now trails Detroit by seven games at 35-21.
Cunningham’s performance, which included five three-pointers made, places him in exclusive company at the iconic arena. He joins LeBron James (twice) and Allen Iverson as the only opposing players to record at least 40 points and 10 assists at Madison Square Garden, according to reports. He is also the first player in Pistons franchise history to achieve 40+ points, 10+ assists, 5+ rebounds, and 5+ made three-pointers in a single game.
“He’s a superstar and there’s no doubt about it,” Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. “It’s hard for me to perceive of five guys that do more on both ends than he does.”
The Knicks were without OG Anunoby, Miles McBride, and Karl-Anthony Towns in previous matchups against Detroit this season. However, on Thursday, New York was only missing McBride, while the Pistons were without key rotation players Isaiah Stewart and Jalen Duren due to suspension. Despite the absences, Detroit dominated.
Knicks coach Mike Brown acknowledged the lopsided losses to Detroit as a source of disappointment for his team. “Nobody wants to lose, and everyone is disappointed,” Brown said after the game. “It’s not a fun feeling, but it’s not the end of the world.”
Cunningham, when asked if the game sent a message to the rest of the league, responded, “I would hope so. I thought it was a good game for us. I think we all made a statement. We coming to win every night. We want to impose ourselves and our identity every night.”
The Pistons’ success comes less than a year after Cunningham led them to a playoff victory at Madison Square Garden on April 22, 2025, ending a 6,174-day postseason losing streak. Despite ultimately losing that series to the Knicks, the win signaled a cultural shift within the organization.
Despite Cunningham’s dominant performance, the Pistons were without a clear second scoring option, as All-Star center Jalen Duren was serving a suspension. The team did not appear to be significantly hampered by his absence.
