• The Pistons’ eight-game winning streak came to an end, 134-119, as they never led.
• Cade Cunningham had his quietest first half of the season after getting into foul trouble, with just one point on 0-for-3 shooting.
• Malik Beasley led the Pistons with 16 points.

The Detroit Pistons were the hottest team in the NBA entering Friday’s game. But playing their fifth contest in eight nights, they couldn’t keep pace with the Denver Nuggets at Little Caesars Arena.

The Pistons’ eight-game winning streak came to an end, 134-119, as they trailed by as many as 25 points en route to their first loss since Feb. 5. The Pistons no answers for a Nuggets team that shot 56% overall and 17-for-31 (54.8%) from 3, and have plenty of lessons they can take away.

“This is what it is for us,” head coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. “They’re a unique team the way they play, with a center with the ball in his hands so much and so much movement off the ball. They really test your discipline and they’re really, really unique. They’re not a typical NBA team. It’s great for us to have to face it, be able to make mistakes and then learn and grow from it. When you give a championship-caliber team that many opportunities to take advantage, it’s going to be tough for you.”

Simone Fontecchio returned after missing two games with a right finger injury. Dennis Schröder also returned after missing Wednesday’s win over the

Boston Celtics with a left ankle injury. 

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Cade Cunningham had his quietest first half of the season after getting into foul trouble, with just one point on 0-for-3 shooting, three assists, two turnovers and a rebound. He finished the night with a season-low 11 points on 3-for-12 shooting, with five assists.

His teammates initially were able to get going in his stead, though, as he dealt with frequent double-teams and blitzes. The Pistons’ bench outscored Denver 32-9, and led a 22-9 run that cut an 18-point deficit to five, 39-34, early in the second quarter. Malik Beasley scored 11 of his 16 points during the run, including three 3-pointers, and Fontecchio capped it with a 3-point play after ending the first quarter with a poster dunk. 

The Nuggets dominated the third quarter, though, shooting 14-for-20 overall (70%) and opening it with a 27-9 run that extended their lead to 23, 95-72. A hook by three-time MVP Nikola Jokic over Isaiah Stewart not long after gave Denver its biggest lead of the night, 102-77. With Cunningham unable to get going, the Pistons shot just 8-for-25 (32%) and entered the fourth with a 20-point deficit. 

Beasley led the Pistons with 16 points. Jamal Murray led all players with 31 points, and Jokic added 23 points, 17 rebounds and 15 assists.

“As a collective group, the feeling of losing is not a good feeling, and you can tell in that locker room that the winning feeling is contagious,” said Tobias Harris, who had 12 points on 5-for-10 shooting. “We’re really looking forward to our next game and going out there and getting better as a group. Overall the team has done a good job of continuing to be excited for each other and excited in the moment, but also going out and execute how we want to play basketball and play harder than the other team.” 

Pistons can’t overcome Cunningham’s slow start

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The Pistons’ All-Star has had a handful of slow starts this season, but not like Friday. It was his first time not scoring at least two points, and his second time being held without a field goal. (The first was Nov. 12 against the Miami Heat, which he finished with 21 points). 

Early foul trouble knocked Cunningham out of his rhythm. He picked up his second before the midway point of the opening quarter, leading to Schröder replacing him until the start of the second quarter. With the bench rolling early, Cunningham was comfortable letting the offense flow as the Pistons cut a blowout deficit to single digits. 

But with the Nuggets rolling in the third quarter, Cunningham finally got on the board with 4:25 left in the third after missing his first six shot attempts. He went on to knock down his next two, including a poster dunk on Zeke Nnaji followed by a staredown. 

With another game looming for the Pistons on Saturday (against the

Brooklyn Nets at 7 p.m. at LCA), Cunningham’s night ended less than three minutes into the final period.

“He just had a tough night tonight,” Bickerstaff said. “They were determined to not let him play. There was a ton of traps that they were putting on him to try to get the ball out of his hands. He just had a night and he’ll be better tomorrow.”

Contact Omari Sankofa II at [email protected]. Follow him on X and/or Bluesky.

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