The short-handed LA Clippers snapped their three-game losing streak with a surprising win over Cade Cunningham and the surging Detroit Pistons on Wednesday night.
Pistons All-Star Cade Cunningham didn’t shy away from calling out the officiating after the game. With the score still tight midway through the fourth quarter, the Clippers steered clear of their recent late-game struggles. Cunningham had a simple explanation for why.
Cade Cunningham’s explanation for the loss
“Get calls,” Cunningham said when asked what made the difference in the Clippers’ victory.
Detroit leaned on All-Star guard Cade Cunningham, who ranks 11th in the league with 25.3 points per game and is third in assists at 9.4, while also contributing 6.1 rebounds per contest. He wrapped up the night with 37 points, 10 assists, and seven rebounds.
Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff also voiced his frustration over the lopsided officiating. “If you’re not allowed to put your body on him legally and he’s allowed to shoot 20 free throws, you’re not gonna be able to guard him. It just makes your job extremely difficult,” he said.
James Harden carrying the Clippers
James Harden shot 20 free throws, outpacing the entire Pistons squad, which only had 19 attempts. The Clippers played with intensity all night, fueled by Harden’s explosive 23-point first quarter before he wrapped up the game with 50.
The Pistons surrendered a 12-point run midway through the first quarter, falling behind early but rallying to tie the game by halftime. The Pistons stayed within six points and briefly took the lead when Isaiah Stewart slammed home a dunk with 7:44 remaining in the fourth quarter.
Despite their fight, they faltered down the stretch, committing turnovers on three of their next five possessions and allowing a 10-point Clippers run that sealed the game.
Cade Cunningham and the Pistons came into the matchup as one of the league’s hottest teams, winning 10 of their last 11. Though they fell short, they maintained their grip on sixth place in the Eastern Conference standings.
Detroit once again without starting forward Tobias Harris, who missed his second straight game for personal reasons. Their road trip resumes Saturday night against the Golden State Warriors.
The Clippers were shorthanded as well, with Kawhi Leonard sitting out for right knee management on the second night of a back-to-back. Leading scorer Norman Powell was sidelined with a right hamstring strain, while Derrick Jones Jr. missed the game due to a right groin strain. Newcomer Ben Simmons was also unavailable, dealing with left knee management.
