The Detroit Pistons accomplished a historic feat by defeating the Washington Wizards 117–95. Thursday's win was Detroit's 50th of the regular season. This is the first time that the Pistons have achieved 50 wins since the 2007–08 season.
Detroit was able to accomplish this historic feat without All-Star point guard Cade Cunningham. He was unavailable after suffering a lung injury during the first five minutes against the Wizards last Tuesday.
The Pistons played their first matchup without Cunningham in another road matchup in Washington. They played with inspired energy from start to finish, leading them to another double-digit victory over the Wizards. Head coach JB Bickerstaff noted before the competition how difficult it would be to fill Cunningham's absence.
Bickerstaff said, "Obviously, it's tough. It's tough with what Cade is going through. He's a big part of what we do from a leadership standpoint. Obviously, the talent is there, but being around him every day makes guys' days better." "It's our responsibility to keep moving forward. We know when he's around he'll support us. He'll cheer us on, help us, coach us and lead us."
The team came out with a spark that carried them to a 35-14 lead in the first quarter. Washington offered some pushback in the second quarter, but Detroit came back after halftime to impose its will. The Pistons outscored the Wizards 57–43 in the second half and put the game out of reach.
Bickerstaff has been a key part of the team's development since arriving in Detroit in 2024. He offered his thoughts to the media after the game about reaching 50 wins for the Pistons this season.
Bickerstaff said, "This is progress, and that's what we're here for is to ultimately keep getting better. And I think we've done that. But there's still a lot more to do and the most important thing is we're focused on what we have left, how we prepare ourselves for tomorrow."
Pistons advance amid Cunningham's absence
Detroit has played seven games without him due to other miscellaneous injuries. Cunningham's collapsed lung is the first long-term injury the team has been forced to play this regular season.
The Pistons weren't shy about being motivated by Cunningham's absence. Forward Auser Thompson explained what his absence on the court means for the team and what to expect when he returns.
"We play with him in our minds. How hard he works every day, his energy, we have to come together as a collective and bring him. ... When he comes back, we'll be very excited and ready for him to step up and do whatever he does," Thompson explained.
Detroit managed to play a somewhat similar style without Cunningham as All-Star center Jalen Duren had an impressive night against the Wizards. Duren finished the night with 24 points, 11 rebounds and two steals. Six of those rebounds were pulled down on the offensive end, creating second chances for Detroit.
Backup center Paul Reed had an impressive performance, scoring 17 points in 20 minutes off the bench. Guards Duncan Robinson, Kevin Huerter and Caris LeVert scored 14 points each for the Pistons. Thompson contributed ten points and nine rebounds in his restricted minutes.
