The Pistons extended their win streak to 6 on Sunday night with a clutch victory against the surging 76ers. The Pistons have been racking up wins against lesser teams, and now they add another impressive feather to their cap with a win in Philadelphia. They also maintain their standing on top of the Eastern Conference.
The Pistons get another impressive win
This win was not as dominant as other recent games for Detroit, but arguably more impressive overall. The 76ers entered the game with a 6-3 record behind the terrific play of Tyrese Maxey. The star point guard had another great performance against the Pistons with 33 points and 7 assists, but it wasn’t enough to get the win.
Counteracting Maxey was the Pistons’ own star point guard in Cade Cunningham. It looked like a rough night for Cade at the half; he had just two points on 1-of-9 shooting at that point. But he once again got better as the game went along. He scored 24 points in the second half to finish the game with 26 points and 11 assists.
Cade also made some incredible clutch plays to put the game away. He had a monstrous poster dunk over former Pistons star Andre Drummond with less than two minutes to go. And he scored his final points of the night on a clutch fadeaway with 17 seconds to go that put the Pistons up 3.
Cade’s clutch streak continued against a very solid defense, and should have fans excited for his future. The continued brilliance in the second half and fourth quarter this season shows Cade’s huge improvements. He’s more comfortable than ever getting to his spots against defensive pressure, and he’ll be ready for the ultimate test in the postseason.
To be fair to Philly, they were missing former MVP Joel Embiid in this game. Embiid has seen inconsistent playing time so far this season, and has alternated between his usual dominant self and a much less aggressive version. The Sixers have learned to adapt their game plan regardless of whether or not he plays, and Maxey has been brilliant in both scenarios.
Of course, the Pistons have plenty of their own injuries too. The newest addition to their injury report was Isaiah Stewart, who missed the game with an ankle sprain. Stewart is having a breakout season with newfound scoring aggression along with his trademark world-class defense, so his loss was a big one. The Pistons pulling out the win without him further highlights how well the whole team has been playing.
After a string of easy wins against less talented teams, the Pistons saw their first big test in a while against the 76ers. Despite falling behind early, the Pistons rallied back for the win and proved their status as Eastern Conference contenders. It was a clear message to the rest of the East that Detroit is here to stay as a major player.