Cade Cunningham’s 29 points and clutch free throws secured a 124-121 Detroit win over Denver, while the Knicks and Celtics also posted victories.
LOS ANGELES: Cade Cunningham scored 29 points as the Detroit Pistons held off a late Denver Nuggets rally for a 124-121 victory.
The Eastern Conference leaders surged to a 20-point lead early in the third quarter before Denver mounted a comeback.
Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray led the Nuggets’ charge, combining for 24 points in the second half to cut the deficit to single digits.
Cunningham sealed the win by draining two crucial free throws for a five-point lead with nine seconds remaining.
Jamal Murray led all scorers with 32 points for Denver, while Jokic added 24 points and 15 rebounds.
All five Detroit starters finished in double figures, supported by Duncan Robinson’s 20 points and Jalen Duren’s 19.
The win improves Detroit’s record to 37-12 atop the Eastern Conference.
The New York Knicks extended their winning streak to seven games with a 132-101 rout of the Washington Wizards.
Mikal Bridges scored 23 points and Jalen Brunson added 21 in the wire-to-wire victory.
The Knicks led by as many as 41 points in the fourth quarter to improve to 32-18.
The Boston Celtics also moved to 32-18 with a 110-100 win over the Dallas Mavericks.
Jaylen Brown’s 33 points led Boston, overcoming a dazzling 36-point performance from Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg.
In the Western Conference, the Oklahoma City Thunder became the first team to 40 wins with a 128-92 demolition of Orlando.
Reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander extended his 20-point scoring streak to 121 consecutive games.
The Los Angeles Lakers concluded their road trip with a 125-109 win over the Brooklyn Nets.
LeBron James led with 25 points and the Lakers welcomed back Austin Reaves from injury.
