Cade Cunningham adds to MVP case; cade cunningham scores 42 vs. Knicks

Cade Cunningham delivered a bracing statement for MVP consideration, scoring 42 points with 13 assists as the Detroit Pistons beat the New York Knicks 126-111 at Madison Square Garden and completed a regular-season sweep. The win underscored Detroit's dominance in the season series and came without the team's usual top frontcourt options.

• Final score: Pistons 126, Knicks 111.
• Cunningham finished with 42 points, 13 assists and eight rebounds; Detroit completed a sweep of New York.

cade cunningham fuels Pistons' runs

Cunningham opened the game aggressively, producing an early burst that erased a Knicks lead and helped build sustained separation. He scored 14 first-quarter points, including three 3-pointers that capped a 21-8 Pistons run, and closed the first half with another scoring push that pushed Detroit ahead. Across the night he shot 17-of-34 from the field and 5-of-11 from 3-point range, finishing with eight rebounds and making plays as a distributor on 13 assists.

Cade Cunningham dazzles in Madison Square Garden

The sequence of plays in the third quarter highlighted Cunningham's control: after the Knicks trimmed the margin early in the period, he assisted consecutive 3-pointers, then scored the next 11 Pistons points with a mix of perimeter and interior finishes. Late in the fourth he buried a stepback 3 over Jeremy Sochan to reach 40 points and followed with a transition alley-oop that effectively settled the outcome. Those stretches, and his ability to create both for himself and teammates, were central to Detroit's commanding victory.

Pistons complete sweep and show resilience

Detroit completed a three-game sweep of New York, finishing the season series with a cumulative plus-84 margin. The Pistons did so while deploying Paul Reed and two-way center Tolu Smith as their primary bigs in place of the usual frontcourt rotation. Reed had a strong night as a starter, contributing 18 points and helping limit early production from the Knicks' primary bigs. New York’s backcourt delivered — Jalen Brunson scored 33 and Karl‑Anthony Towns finished with 21, 19 of which came in the second half — but the Knicks were unable to close the gap.

Pistons' next test in Chicago

Detroit heads next to Chicago for a Saturday game at 8: 00 p. m. ET. The win in New York leaves the Pistons with a top standing in the East, and the team’s performance without its usual starting centers provides a short-term indicator of depth and flexibility. If the Pistons continue to generate high-level offensive production from their backcourt and glass work from Reed and Smith, they will enter upcoming matchups as a tougher opponent than many anticipated. Conversely, sustained absences up front could test matchups later in the season.

For now, Cunningham’s performance in a high-profile arena added momentum to his MVP conversation and reinforced the narrative that Detroit can dominate strong Eastern Conference opponents when its stars are firing.