The Detroit Pistons are certainly getting the heat from their fellow Eastern Conference teams; after a stellar start to the 2025-26 campaign, they have become the hunted among their peers. Thus, on Monday night, they took another haymaker from another aspiring East contender in the Atlanta Hawks even though they were on the second night of a back-to-back. But in the end, the Pistons buckled down on defense and Cade Cunningham brought them home with a few clutch backets en route to a 99-98 win.
Cunningham scored eight of the Pistons' final 10 points of the ballgame, including the final two field-goals for his team which put the game out of reach for the Hawks despite their best attempts at the end to steal the win. The Pistons star is the league leader in fourth-quarter points this season thus far for a reason, and he shone yet again when it mattered the most — putting elite defenders such as Dyson Daniels and Nickeil Alexander-Walker in the blender.
The Pistons star, who finished with 18 points, eight rebounds, eight assists and a ridiculous seven steals on the night, expressed his thoughts on earning his team another hard-fought victory.
“I mean, it’s just trusting my work, trusting, you know, my Lord, trusting my faith, and you know, my teammates trust me with the ball. So, you know, that’s my time to go out there and do something with it,” Cunningham said in his postgame interview with FanDuel Sports Network's Natalie Kerwin.
Cade Cunningham on taking over in the 4th quarter
“I mean, it’s just trusting my work, trusting, you know, my Lord, trusting my faith, and you know, my teammates trust me with the ball. So, you know, that’s my time to go out there and do something with it.
I have been, you know,… pic.twitter.com/4Mcsb7GDRR
— Pistons Talk (@Pistons__Talk) December 2, 2025
Pistons get it done in the clutch
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Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (2) in the first half against the Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images
The Pistons have been in some nerve-wracking games in recent days. But after dropping close games last week against the Boston Celtics and the Orlando Magic, they have won two consecutive close contests, overcoming the Miami Heat and then the Hawks.
Cunningham added that it's nice for him to deliver for his team as they continue to try and pad their lead atop the Eastern Conference standings.
“I have been, you know, shaky the last couple games in the end of the game, so I knew I had to come up big. It was a tight game, we really needed this game, so glad I came through for my team,” Cunningham added.