Pistons crush Hawks and consolidate their dominance in the Eastern Conference
Led by Cade Cunningham, as many as eight Detroit players signed double digits.
Cade Cunningham (2) tries to beat Nickeil Alexander-Walker (7).
The surprisingly rejuvenated Detroit Piston, thanks to Cade Cunningham, consolidated their iron grip on the Eastern Conference after crushing the Atlanta Hawks 141-115.
The win allowed the Pistons to shake off the disappointment of missing the NBA Cup's elimination rounds. Detroit posted its largest point total and margin of victory of the season, improving its record to 20-5.
The thrashing came after an even first quarter and despite heroics from Atlanta forward Jalen Johnson, who made franchise history by recording his third consecutive triple-double.
Eight Pistons players in double figures
Detroit spread the scoring around, with star point guard Cunningham among eight Pistons players who reached double figures, although none reached 20 points. More than half of the team's points came from the bench, led by Isaiah Stewart with 17. After a first quarter in which the lead changed hands 13 times, Detroit took control in emphatic fashion.
The Hawks, who played without star Trae Young since October because of injury, never regained the lead. Johnson added 19 points, 11 assists and 11 rebounds to maintain an impressive streak, even though his team has lost four of its last five games. It was Johnson's fifth triple-double of the season, a franchise record for a single campaign, and the seventh of his career, matching the team's all-time mark.
Bulls snap a seven-game losing streak
In other regular-season games Friday, the Chicago Bulls cut their streak of seven consecutive losses by beating the Charlotte Hornets 129-126.
Donovan Mitchell scored 24 of his impressive 48 points in the final quarter as the Cleveland Cavaliers outlasted the Washington Wizards 130-126.
In San Francisco, Stephen Curry returned from injury to score 39 points, but it was not enough as the Golden State Warriors fell to the Minnesota Timberwolves, 127-120. Curry also provided the day's highlight play with a basket from the locker room tunnel.
Julius Randle led the T-wolves in scoring with 27 points, while Rudy Gobert added 24 and Donte DiVincenzo, 21.
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