Cade Cunningham returned from an injury to score 24 points, helping the Detroit Pistons stay undefeated in the NBA Cup and officially eliminating the defending runner-up with a 130-106 road win against the Indiana Pacers on Friday night.
Malik Beasley led Detroit with 25 points, while Jaden Ivey added 23 points and Tobias Harris contributed 16. The Pistons will play the Milwaukee Bucks in a matchup of 3-0 teams on Tuesday night, with the East Group B title at stake.
For the Pacers, Pascal Siakam scored 21 points and Tyrese Haliburton added 19. The Pacers trailed by as much as 12 points in the first quarter and could not catch up, suffering their third consecutive loss in the NBA Cup.
The Pistons shot 57.8% from the field and 47.4% from three-point range. They built a 15-point lead in the second quarter and extended it to 21 points in the third before coasting to their second win in the last six games.
Cunningham, who missed three games due to a strained left hip, also recorded 11 assists, marking his sixth straight double-double. He made 10 of 19 shots and hit four of his six three-pointers.
Beasley was even more efficient off the bench, making 10 of 14 shots and connecting on five three-pointers. Detroit outscored Indiana 54-36 from beyond the arc.
Jalen Duren also had a double-double, scoring 14 points, grabbing 12 rebounds, and blocking four shots. Tim Hardaway Jr. was the fifth Pistons starter to reach double digits, finishing with 10 points.
The 130 points scored by Detroit was a season-high.
For the Pacers, Ben Mathurin scored 16 points, T.J. McConnell had 12 points, and Jarace Walker added 10 points, along with five steals. Myles Turner led Indiana in rebounds with 10, while Haliburton also had five assists along with his 19 points.
