NBA: Pistons win three in a row, edge Hawks in OT

Detroit Pistons Cade Cunningham NBA

Cade Cunningham #2 of the Detroit Pistons celebrates a basket in overtime with teammates while playing the Atlanta Hawks at Little Caesars Arena on March 07, 2022 in Detroit, Michigan. Detroit won the game 113-110 in overtime. Gregory Shamus/Getty Images/AFP

Cade Cunningham scored seven of his game-high 28 points in overtime and the host Detroit Pistons notched their first three-game winning streak in three years by outlasting the Atlanta Hawks 113-110 on Monday.

Cunningham also supplied 10 assists and grabbed six rebounds, while Jerami Grant had 23 points. Detroit’s last streak of three or more games came in March 2019, when it won five straight.

Cunningham’s 3-pointer during the first minute of overtime gave Detroit the lead for keeps. Marvin Bagley III had 19 points and 10 rebounds and Killian Hayes contributed 13 points and six assists for the Pistons.

Bogdan Bogdanovic led Atlanta with 22 points and totaled six assists. John Collins had 17 points and 11 rebounds, De’Andre Hunter tossed in 15 points and Danilo Gallinari added 14 points. Trae Young also had 14 points but shot 5-for-20 from the field while dishing out a team-high 12 assists.

Detroit center Isaiah Stewart suffered a right knee injury during the second quarter and did not return.

The Pistons led 59-56 at halftime.

Hunter’s steal and dunk midway through the third quarter gave Atlanta a 69-64 lead. The Hawks couldn’t build upon it, as the Pistons regained the advantage before the quarter ended. Cunningham had a dunk and Hayes knocked down a 3-pointer in the final minute as Detroit led 78-76 entering the fourth.

Lou Williams scored the first five points of the fourth quarter to put Atlanta back on top. Isaiah Livers drained a 3-pointer off a Cunningham feed with 5:27 left, giving the Pistons a 90-88 edge.

Bogdanovic drilled a 3-pointer to give Atlanta a one-point lead but Cunningham responded with a bank shot. Bogdanovic’s three-point play shifted the lead once again. Cunningham scored inside and Hunter answered with two free throws.

That gave Atlanta a 100-99 lead. Livers missed a 3-point try but Young then front-rimmed a midrange shot.

Bogdanovic fouled Cunningham on an inbounds pass and the rookie calmly knocked down both foul shots. Bagley then fouled Collins on an inbounds lob. Collins split the free throws, tying the score at 101-101 and sending the game into overtime.

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