Cade Cunningham signs a historic night with 52 points and 11 assists without turnovers

Cade Cunningham starred in one of the most spectacular individual performances of the NBA season. The guard for the Detroit Pistons recorded 52 points, 11 assists, and no turnovers in his team's victory of 144-140 against the Washington Wizards, in a game that required two overtimes to decide.

The performance by the Detroit player had a historic component. Since detailed records of this aspect have existed, at least since 1978, no other player had managed to reach 50 points and 10 assists in the same game without committing any turnovers. Cunningham managed to combine extraordinary offensive production with practically perfect decision-making.

"This has been, without a doubt, the best thing I’ve done in my NBA career," the player himself acknowledged after the game.

What is most striking is that Cunningham finished the third quarter with only 22 points. However, when the game reached its decisive moment, he significantly raised his level and scored 18 points in the last period. Even that wasn't enough to close the game in regulation time, as Trae Young hit a buzzer-beater three-pointer to tie the game at 121.

In the first overtime, Washington started stronger and scored the first seven points. But Cunningham still had a lot to say. A two-point shot, two free throws, and a three-pointer allowed Detroit to tie the score at 130 and stay alive.

The second overtime was also not without drama. Duncan Robinson put the Pistons ahead with a basket, but AJ Dybantsa, the number one pick from the last draft, tied the game for the Wizards with less than a second remaining. Finally, Cunningham and his teammates managed to secure a victory that turned into a historic showcase for the guard.

A performance that enters the history of the Pistons

Cunningham's 52 points represent the fourth-best individual scoring in Detroit’s history. Only four players have surpassed or matched that figure while wearing a Pistons jersey: Jerry Stackhouse scored 57 points in 2001, Kelly Tripucka reached 56 in 1983, Dave Bing achieved 54 in 1971, and George Yardley reached 52 in 1958.

Additionally, Cunningham became the fifth player since the 1977-78 season to record a double-double of at least 50 points without any turnovers. An exclusive list that includes Michael Jordan, who did it twice, Moses Malone, Carmelo Anthony, and Giannis Antetokounmpo.

He is also only the third Pistons player capable of achieving a double-double with 50 points. Before him, George Yardley accomplished it twice during the 1957-58 season, and Blake Griffin did so in the 2018-19 season.

His offensive production during the crucial stretch was also extraordinary. Cunningham scored 30 points between the last quarter and the overtimes, the highest amount achieved by a Detroit player in that time frame since play-by-play records began in the 1997-98 season.

Ausar Thompson also records a triple-double

Cunningham's showcase even overshadowed another standout performance within the Pistons. Ausar Thompson recorded the first triple-double of his NBA career, finishing the game with 17 points, 11 rebounds, and 11 assists.

"He led us during the last quarter and the overtimes. He did what he usually does. One person cannot defend him," Thompson explained about his teammate.

There were also very notable individual performances for the Wizards. Trae Young finished with 37 points, while Alex Sarr added another 30. Anthony Davis, for his part, contributed 30 points and 15 rebounds before being fouled out during the second overtime.

In fact, Washington achieved a record that hadn’t been reached in over half a century: three players scoring at least 30 points in the same game. The last time the franchise accomplished this was on November 18, 1969, when it was still competing under the name Baltimore Bullets. On that occasion, Mike Davis, Earl Monroe, and Gus Johnson led the scoring display against the San Diego Rockets.

It was also a special game due to the presence of four players who were selected with the number one pick in the draft: Cunningham, Davis, Deandre Ayton, and AJ Dybantsa.

However, all the attention ultimately pointed towards Cunningham. His 52 points, 11 assists, and zero turnovers not only allowed Detroit to secure a hard-fought victory but also confirmed his ability to dominate a high-stakes game and deliver one of the most impressive statistical performances ever recorded in the NBA.