Mavericks Unable to Slow Cade Cunningham in Road Loss Against Pistons: 'He's a Wonderful Talent'

Cade Cunningham leads Detroit Pistons to a 117-102 win over Dallas Mavericks with a stellar 40-point performance.

Photo: Detroit Pistons

DETROIT — Coming off a clutch victory over the New Orleans Pelicans, the Dallas Mavericks were handily defeated 117-102 by the Detroit Pistons at Little Caesars Arena. Newly named an All-Star, Cade Cunningham proved too much to handle as he dropped 40 points, six rebounds, and four assists to set the tone.

Without Luka Dončić, the Mavericks struggled to produce offensively, shooting 37 of 87 (42.5%) overall and 11 of 33 (33.3%) from deep. However, the team executed well from the free-throw line, making 17 of 21 attempts, resulting in an 81% conversion rate. Turning it over 16 times led to a 27-6 disadvantage in points off turnovers.

Kyrie Irving was expectedly the Mavericks’ leading scorer with 28 points, but he took 23 shots to get there. P.J. Washington had another big performance, delivering 2 points, 13 rebounds, and two blocks with an efficient night. Dallas gained 16 points, 10 rebounds, and five blocks from Daniel Gafford.