In a heart-stopping finish, the Detroit Pistons snatched a 99-98 victory from the Atlanta Hawks on Monday night (Tuesday, December 2, Philippine time), fueled by Cade Cunningham's late-game heroics. The Associated Press reported the win, which extends Detroit's impressive run to 15 victories in their last 17 outings.
Clutch Performance Seals Dramatic Win
The game hung in the balance until the final tenth of a second. Cade Cunningham took over down the stretch, scoring eight of his 18 total points in the last 3 minutes and 21 seconds. His reverse layup with just 17 seconds remaining gave Detroit a crucial 99-95 cushion. Atlanta's Jalen Johnson had a final opportunity to win it at the buzzer, but his tip-in attempt off a missed free throw rimmed out as time expired.
Jalen Duren was a force inside for the Pistons, recording a double-double with 21 points and 11 rebounds. Caris LeVert contributed 14 points and made two pivotal defensive plays in the closing minutes, directly impacting the tight contest.
Hawks' Valiant Effort Falls Short
Despite the loss, the Hawks received standout performances. Jalen Johnson finished with 29 points and 13 rebounds, while Nickeil Alexander-Walker poured in 26 points. Onyeka Okongwu added 20 points to the effort for Atlanta, which had been riding a wave of good form with four wins in its previous five games.
The contest was a back-and-forth affair, with neither team building a lead larger than five points for most of the night. Detroit finally created some separation, going ahead 74-68 by the end of the third quarter. However, 22 turnovers through three periods nearly cost the Pistons, despite their dominance on the offensive glass.
Other NBA Results from Monday Night
In other action across the league, several games provided high-scoring drama:
- Washington Wizards 129, Milwaukee Bucks 126: CJ McCollum's 28 points, including a key three-pointer with 14.4 seconds left, propelled the Wizards past Giannis Antetokounmpo (26 points) and the Bucks.
- Orlando Magic 125, Chicago Bulls 120: Desmond Bane exploded for 37 points, with 18 coming in the fourth quarter, to lead the Magic to their sixth win in seven games.
- Utah Jazz 133, Houston Rockets 125: Lauri Markkanen (29 points) and Keyonte George (28 points) powered the Jazz past Houston, despite 32 points from Kevin Durant and a 31-point, 14-assist night from Alperen Sengun.
Additional Monday night winners included the Miami Heat, Brooklyn Nets, Cleveland Cavaliers, Dallas Mavericks, and Phoenix Suns.
