The Detroit Pistons had a rough night, falling to the league-worst Washington Wizards in a game they should have won.
Detroit allowed Washington to hang around for too long, ultimately paying the price for taking them lightly. The Wizards played with energy, responding to every Pistons push and refusing to back down.
Coach JB Bickerstaff won’t be happy with his team’s defense. The Pistons were a step slow all night, allowing 20 three-pointers—many uncontested—while making just 10 of their own.
Cade Cunningham struggled from deep, missing all seven of his three-point attempts. However, he still finished with 38 points and 10 assists. While it wasn’t his best night, scoring 38 despite shooting struggles is a testament to his talent.
The loss was particularly painful because it cost the Pistons a chance to move past Indiana in the standings. Instead, they lost ground to both the Pacers and Bucks, with the surging Hawks closing in.
Cunningham Gets Superstar Calls
Cunningham’s high scoring was largely due to his ability to get to the free-throw line, where he went 20-for-21—the most attempts by a Piston since Blake Griffin in 2018.
Officials kept the game tightly controlled after tensions flared in the previous matchup, leading to a whistle-heavy contest.
All season, Cunningham has struggled to get calls, but last night was different. He was finally rewarded with free throws on contact that had gone uncalled before. That’s what great players do—when shots aren’t falling, they attack the basket and get to the line. Hopefully, this continues throughout the season.
Still, even his impressive night wasn’t enough to prevent a costly loss.
A Tough Stretch Ahead
The Pistons face the Oklahoma City Thunder next, and things don’t get any easier. Of their final 15 games, 12 are against teams in the playoff hunt.
Detroit has two games against OKC, plus matchups with the Cavaliers, Timberwolves, Grizzlies, Knicks, and two against the Bucks.
With Atlanta closing in, this was the worst time to lose to a struggling team. The Pistons had done well handling weaker opponents post-All-Star break, but last night, they failed the test.
However, Detroit has bounced back from adversity all season. If they stay focused, they still control their own playoff fate.
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