Get you up to speed: NBA: Cunningham scores 52 as Pistons win double OT thriller against Wizards
Cade Cunningham scored 52 points as the Detroit Pistons defeated the Washington Wizards 144-140 in a double-overtime game at Capital One Arena in Washington on Thursday. This victory marked the Pistons’ first win after the Wizards were unable to take advantage of multiple late-game opportunities, resulting in their sixth consecutive loss.
Cade Cunningham’s 52-point performance marks a significant milestone, as he is the first player in NBA history to achieve a 50-point, 10-assist game without turnovers since the 1977-78 season. The Detroit Pistons’ victory over the Washington Wizards was a crucial win, preventing the Wizards from snapping their six-game losing streak.
Cade Cunningham’s historic performance has garnered substantial praise, with the Pistons securing their victory amid a challenging game. Following the defeat, the Washington Wizards face increasing scrutiny as they contend with a six-game losing streak, prompting calls for strategic re-evaluation.
What remains unclear — The long-term impact of Cade Cunningham’s historic performance on his career and the Pistons’ season is not specified.
Cade Cunningham scores 52 as Pistons defeat Wizards in double overtime
Sport|BasketballNBA: Cunningham scores 52 as Pistons win double OT thriller against Wizards
Cunningham became the first NBA player to record a 50-point, 10-assist game without committing a turnover since 1977-78.
Published On 13 Nov 202613 Nov 2026
Cade Cunningham racked up 52 points as the Detroit Pistons edged a double-overtime thriller 144-140 against Washington on Thursday.
The Wizards twice extended the game with clutch scores in the dying seconds but could not repeat the trick a third time as the Pistons held their nerve to claim an epic road win.
Cunningham became the first player in NBA history to score 50 points and add 10 assists with zero turnovers, while Ausar Thompson had a triple-double with 17 points, 11 assists and 11 rebounds.
The Wizards had three starters scoring 30-plus points – Trae Young, Anthony Davis and Alex Sarr – but it was not enough to prevent Washington’s sixth defeat in a row.
“Two overtimes, it was just going to come down [to] who wanted it more, who had more in the tank,” said Cunningham.
“I’d bet on my team any day. So great win for us.”
In a back-and-forth game featuring 20 lead changes, Detroit started slow but built a double-digit lead early in the second half.
It was slowly whittled down by Washington, but the Pistons were clinging to their lead when Cunningham was fouled at 119-118 with less than two seconds remaining.
Cade Cunningham (right) of the Detroit Pistons shoots a three-point basket during the game against the Washington Wizards [Stephen Gosling/Getty Images via AFP]
Cunningham sank both free throws, but Trae Young made a nerveless try right at the buzzer to force overtime.
The Wizards raced 128-121 up, but Cunningham would not quit.
He made a three-pointer with 30 seconds left to level the score, then set up Duncan Robinson for what appeared to be another. A video replay ruled Robinson’s toe was on the line, and Detroit had only a two-point lead.
That proved crucial as Young set up this year’s top draft pick AJ Dybantsa, who forced a second overtime period with a pull-up jump shot.
Cunningham made a fadeaway shot for a four-point lead with 25 seconds left, and this time the Wizards could not conjure a third comeback.
Young missed two three-point efforts, with Washington settling for two free throws, but unable to score in their final possession.
‘Professional win’
Tyrese Maxey powered Philadelphia to its latest comeback victory, scoring 27 points as the Sixers shrugged off a slow start and the absence of LeBron James to beat the Toronto Raptors 123-112.
Maxey added eight assists, linking up seamlessly with Joel Embiid, who briefly left the court early with a knee injury but returned to add 20 points.
The Sixers had trailed by 17 points in the first quarter, immediately following Embiid’s absence, but rallied for their fifth double-digit comeback this season.
“We’ll take it. I mean, extreme professional win by us. We stayed with it. Didn’t start out great, but it was a good win,” said Maxey.
“We played together the last seven years, so I kind of know where he’s going to be, he knows where I’m going to be at, and it’s good for us,” he said of his partnership with 2023 MVP Embiid.
Veteran James, who turns 42 next month, was ruled out of Thursday’s clash to manage a lower back issue.
Philadelphia moved to 10-3, just half a game back from the 10-2 Boston Celtics atop the Eastern Conference.
The Minnesota Timberwolves thrashed Dallas 133-94, while Devin Booker’s 30 points helped the Phoenix Suns overcome Charlotte 101-96.