DETROIT – Things looked bleak for the Detroit Pistons on Monday night as overtime was already halfway over. The Miami Heat began the final five minutes with an 8-0 run that capped a 34-7 run with 2:14 remaining in overtime to secure a 122-114 lead over the Pistons. Coach JB Bickerstaff took time off to rally Detroit and Little Caesars Arena was on edge.

The collective unease among the arena crowd continued throughout the Pistons’ timeout, in which Tim Hardaway Jr. channeled his inner 2012 Ray Allen. Just a reminder: The two-time NBA champion shot a career-best 45.3 percent from 3-point range this season with the Boston Celtics. Too much? You tell me.

Hardaway was exhausted three consecutive triples in less than a minute of playall on assists from Cade Cunningham. Cunningham collected a career-high total of 18 dimes on just four turnovers en route to a 125-124 win for Detroit. Cunningham scored the game-winning layup over the outstretched arms of Terry Rozier and Bam Adebayo with 37.5 seconds left.

Aside from a few difficult threes from Heat guard Tyler Herro down the stretch, most of Miami’s points on their run came from poor defense and missed calls by the Pistons on boxouts and cuts.

Cunningham shot 2 of 9 in the fourth period and overtime, scoring seven of his 20 points and two of his four turnovers. His 11 rebounds accounted for his sixth triple-double of the season, third-most behind multi-MVP winners LeBron James and Nikola Jokić. Most important, however, was the Pistons’ ability to find ways to get other players going, with Cunningham ultimately shooting 41.2 percent on the night.

This could potentially bode well for the future as Cunningham lightens his responsibilities over the course of the 82-game season or simply on nights when Cunningham isn’t ready.

“That’s what these guys are,” Bickerstaff said in his postgame press conference. “There are certain things we still have to figure out, but competing for 48 minutes isn’t usually one of them. Sticking together in adversity was not one of them. This is the identity of this team. If you have that, mix in the talent, you’ll give yourself a chance to compete.”

While Detroit actually competed and Hardaway took the lead late, Malik Beasley provided consistent performance from the start.

Beasley, now within 3-pointers of Herro and fourth in the league as of Tuesday, scored at least five points and made a three-pointer in each quarter. The Florida State product scored a team and season-high 28 points on seven shots from behind the arc, also tying his season high. His season high in made 3s came just two games ago in a win over the New York Knicks.

Ausar Thompson also contributed to the Pistons’ steady performance outside of Cunningham, narrowly missing a 20-point double-double. The second-year winger finished the game with 19 points on 8 of 14 shooting and 1 of 3 from long range, nine rebounds and four steals. Thompson’s points, steals and boards were also his highest numbers of the season.

When asked how he overcame the challenges of his journey back to the court after a shortened rookie season and a sophomore season delayed due to blood clot complications, he gave a thoughtful answer in typical Thompson fashion that offered insight into his insightful career Mindset at just 21 offered years old.

“It’s challenging, but you know, there are a lot more challenging things in life,” Thompson said. “I just always keep track of the fact that someone else has something more difficult than me.”

As for Cunningham, who is now one of four East guards, including LaMelo Ball, Damian Lillard and Jalen Brunson, to rank in the league’s top 25 in points and assists per game this season, he set his best individual season as Professional continued. Cunningham’s 23.5 points per game are 24th in the league, but his 9.7 assists per appearance rank third in the NBA.

Both are on track to be career bests for the 2021 No. 1 pick. But Cunningham still believes he can continue to improve his game, even after a career night.

After the game, I spoke with Cade Cunningham about his style of play, the turnovers and how conscious he is of protecting the ball as much as he has it.

“I think I still have a long way to go. When I watch a movie, I always see something that says, “I should have done this or that.” pic.twitter.com/Ady5S1vsBm

— Hunter Patterson (@HuntPatterson_) December 17, 2024

“I think I still have a long way to go,” Cunningham said The athlete. “When I watch a movie, I always see something that’s like, ‘I should have done this, I should have done that, I should have done this better.’ I think I still have a long way to go, “But I still feel like I’m at the top of the league in terms of being able to get my teammates to perform while also performing for myself.”

Our conversation went beyond just his playmaking and focused more on how he finds the balance between appreciating the ball and seizing opportunities to create plays.

“I know I have to take risks,” Cunningham said. “That’s part of it. In order to be able to make plays, the holes often close quickly. There are a lot of sporty guys. You have to trust what you see and just play the game. But at the same time, there is a fine line between being careless and reckless about it and being astute about it.

“I’m just trying to be as sharp as possible while also being aggressive and playing for my team.”

Go deeper

Cade Cunningham’s MSG triple-double bolsters All-Star status as Pistons defeat Knicks

Aside from Cunningham’s night, teams in the upper echelon that Detroit would like to join one day wouldn’t have allowed the Heat to get back into the game, but the reality is that the Pistons did and nearly suffered a late-game collapse. This is a team still establishing itself, but Monday’s win by committee is a win Detroit will take and learn from, even if they know it shouldn’t have gone to overtime in the first place.

The Pistons improved to 11-16 this season, sit in 10th place in the Eastern Conference and are still in the play-in race.

Detroit hosts the Utah Jazz (5-20) on Thursday before its first of two four-game trips this season. The Pistons travel to Phoenix on Dec. 21 for their first West Coast game against the Suns before flying to Los Angeles, Sacramento and Denver on what is expected to be a nine- to 10-day trip before returning to Detroit.

(Photo of Cade Cunningham and Jalen Duren celebrating the OT win: Gregory Shamus / Getty Images)