Cade Cunningham Leads Pistons to Victory Over Jazz
Cade Cunningham scored 31 points, including 19 in the fourth quarter, guiding the Detroit Pistons to their fourth straight win with a 114-103 victory over the Utah Jazz on Wednesday night.
Key Player Performances
- Cunningham’s strong finish prevented the Jazz from mounting a late comeback.
- Jalen Duren contributed 22 points and 22 rebounds, boosting the Pistons' record to 6-2.
- Ausar Thompson added 18 points but left the game briefly after injuring his left ankle.
Defensive Strength and Jazz Struggles
Detroit, ranked second in the league for field-goal defense at 42.9%, held Utah to just 38.4% shooting (33 of 86). Utah struggled particularly in the third quarter, shooting only 18% (4 of 22), allowing Detroit to pull ahead with a 78-69 lead.
"Duren had 18 points and 10 rebounds in the first half, but Mykhailiuk's 18 points and Markkanen's 12 helped the Jazz to a two-point lead."
Jazz Highlights and Injuries
- Former Piston Svi Mykhailiuk scored a career-high 28 points for the Jazz.
- Lauri Markkanen added 25 points, and Jusuf Nurkic grabbed 17 rebounds.
- The Jazz announced before the game that center Walker Kessler will require season-ending shoulder surgery.
Upcoming Schedule
The Jazz will face the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday.
"Thompson's layup put the Pistons ahead 94-82 with 7:01 left, but he injured his left ankle on the play. He was able to return for the final moments."
Author's summary: Cade Cunningham's clutch fourth quarter and strong team defense propelled the Pistons to a convincing win over the Jazz, despite Utah's high scoring from Mykhailiuk and Markkanen.