DETROIT — The NBA trade deadline came and went without too much attention for the Detroit Pistons, but their first showing was one of the more eye-catching results recently for the top team in the Eastern Conference.
At times the Pistons looked lost as they faced a depleted Washington Wizards squad — fresh off some trade deadline excitement — and went down by as much as 22.
Detroit nearly pulled itself all the way back, but the Wizards hit 18 three-pointers on the night and kept the Pistons at bay for a 126-117 victory Thursday night at Little Caesars Arena.
Cade Cunningham scored 30 for the Pistons with eight rebounds and eight assists, while Duncan Robinson hit six threes and scored 21.
The Pistons (37-13) were without Tobias Harris (hip soreness) and Daniss Jenkins — who was inactive preserving the final game on his two-way contract — while also losing Jalen Duren midway through the second quarter due to right knee soreness.
In their first game since Jaden Ivey’s official departure, the Pistons came out with an unusually slow start.
They opened 4-of-16 from the field — after needing six shots to get one to fall — going down by as much as 17 points while the Wizards (14-36) hit five three-pointers in the opening quarter.
Cunningham started to hit his stride, finishing a put back and hitting a jump shot, but a response three-pointer from Justin Champagnie started to send Washington well in front.
Ball movement was hard to find as the Pistons had one assist in the opening period on just six made baskets.
With a rare double-digit deficit after the first quarter, things worsened as bench players rotated in and Pistons went down by 22 off a fast-break layup from Jamir Watkins.
Ausar Thompson, fresh off being named Eastern Conference Defensive Player of the Month, and Ron Holland had a crucial stretch together to turn the tides of the matchup.
The pair spurred on a 19-1 run for the Pistons, thanks to five second-chance opportunities. Robinson pulled Detroit back within single digits off his second three-pointer of the night.
Finding their signature defensive fire back, Cunningham and Holland kept attacking late in the half and got as close to one point from the Wizards. A late three from Washington’s Will Riley kept Detroit at a 56-52 disadvantage at halftime.
Robinson came out of halftime with a pair of threes on the first two possessions of the half, but the Pistons were back to looking out of sorts as they turned the ball over six times in the third. Cunningham was responsible for four of them, but he also provided seven points and three assists in the period.
The Wizards got hot from deep again, converting 6-of-9 shots in the third to push back out by as much as 19 points. Before the fourth quarter, the Pistons managed to get the deficit down to eight following a quick four-point burst from two-way wing Wendell Moore, making his first appearance since Nov. 17.
A last-second three made it an 11-point lead for the Wizards, which Cunningham started cutting into in the fourth.
He scored on three of his first four shots, and earned three trips to the foul line for nine points midway through the period. Robinson broke the Pistons back in converting on a four-point play to bring Detroit back within five.
With Cunningham taking a short breather on the bench, Marcus Sasser hit a crucial three-pointer, but the Wizards were ready for a rare clutch opportunity.
Bilal Coulibaly banked in a desperation three to beat the shot clock and Riley put up nine points in the fourth to make sure the Pistons wouldn’t be able to complete their comeback.
BOX SCORE
Up next: The Pistons are right back at it Friday night, hosting the New York Knicks in a crucial matchup with the second-place team in the Eastern Conference.