Cade Cunningham Leads Detroit Pistons to Victory Over Brooklyn Nets as NBA Cup Campaign Begins
The Detroit Pistons made an impressive start to their 2026 Emirates NBA Cup campaign after defeating the Brooklyn Nets 110-94 in their opening Group Play fixture on Friday.
The Pistons delivered a strong team performance to secure a comfortable 16-point victory in East Group A, with Cade Cunningham leading the way with 20 points, five rebounds and four assists.
Although Cunningham was the headline performer, Detroit received valuable contributions from several players who helped the team establish control of the contest. Ron Holland II finished with 18 points, scoring 16 in the second half to provide an important offensive boost. Duncan Robinson added 17 points and three steals, while Ausar Thompson contributed 11 points, eight rebounds and six assists, alongside two steals.
The victory highlights Detroit’s growing strength as the team looks to establish itself among the contenders in the Eastern Conference. Their balanced offensive performance and contributions from different players proved too much for Brooklyn, who struggled to keep pace throughout the contest.
For Cunningham, the performance was another opportunity to demonstrate his importance to the Pistons as their leading playmaker and one of the key figures in the team’s ambitions this season.
With the opening victory secured, Detroit will now look to build on its positive start as the competition progresses. The Pistons have given themselves an early advantage in East Group A, but maintaining consistency will be crucial as they pursue a place in the NBA Cup knockout stages.
