NBA roundup: Cunningham leads Pistons past Knicks, Brown stars as Celtics down Warriors

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/basketball/detroit-pistons-UcjMRj6J/new-york-knicks-WCNO4nbt/?mid=GzNeDzZh"]Billed as a must-watch clash[/a] between two Eastern Conference-vying rivals each in red-hot form, the game at Madison Square Garden became an exhibition for [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/cunningham-cade/0YleT8PG/"]Cunningham[/a], who also provided 13 assists and eight rebounds.[/p][p]The 24-year-old burnished his credentials as a Most Valuable Player contender, helping a young, surprise-package [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/detroit-pistons/UcjMRj6J/"]Pistons[/a] side to improve the best record in the entire NBA this season so far, to 41-13.[/p][p]After the game, Cunningham insisted he and his side had proved "nothing" yet.[/p][p]"[b]It's regular season, so we just have to keep on chipping at it, keep on growing, keep on getting better and preparing for the postseason[/b]," he said.[/p][p]"[b]We're off to a great start. Obviously, we feel great about that. But everything is to come.[/b]"[/p][p]Despite their blistering form, Detroit - wholly reconstructed after finishing rock-bottom of the Eastern Conference just two years ago - are still few pundits' top pick to win the title.[/p][embed guid="4ebf9b21-7f8b-4612-9a2f-217ebbcf8233" url="https://x.com/NBA/status/2024674624500310051?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]They were also without forward [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/stewart-isaiah/ETLNkHdm/"]Isaiah Stewart[/a] and All-Star centre [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/duren-jalen/xva6ve5b/"]Jalen Duren[/a] on Thursday, due to suspensions following a brawl with the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/charlotte-hornets/xftMikUg/"]Charlotte Hornets[/a] during a game last week.[/p][p]"[b]Missing Stew, JD, that's a big part of our team. A big part of why we are where we are. So everyone had to step up[/b]," said Cunningham.[/p][p]And the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/new-york-knicks/WCNO4nbt/"]Knicks[/a] had entered the game third in the Eastern Conference, on a run of 10 wins from 12, comparable to the Pistons' 12 from 15 ahead of Thursday's clash.[/p][p]But Detroit had extra motivation - revenge after the Knicks knocked them out of the playoffs last year in the first round. The win on Thursday completes a three-win regular season sweep over the Knicks.[/p][p]"[b]It felt great,[/b]" said Cunningham, who poured in three three-pointers in the first quarter alone. He added two more later in the game, with other highlights including a huge, driving dunk in the third quarter.[/p][h2]Celtics down Warriors, Cavs earn sixth-straight win[/h2][p]Elsewhere, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/brown-jaylen/l88NjhUb/"]Jaylen Brown[/a] recorded a triple-double as the in-form [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/boston-celtics/KYD9hVEm/"]Boston Celtics[/a] overwhelmed the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/golden-state-warriors/SxUtXqch/"]Golden State Warriors[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/basketball/boston-celtics-KYD9hVEm/golden-state-warriors-SxUtXqch/?mid=KSJC9hYH"]121-110.[/a][/p][p]Consolidating second spot in the Eastern Conference, the Celtics led by as much as 34 points in the third quarter, before the Warriors reduced the deficit but to no avail.[/p][p]Brown managed 23 points, 13 assists and 15 rebounds, while Payton Pritchard top-scored with 26 from the bench, in the Celtics' seventh win from their past eight games.[/p][p]Thursday's games were the first since the NBA regular season briefly paused for the All-Star Game weekend.[/p][p][b]"It's early, first game back,"[/b] said Brown.[/p][p][b]"I'm just being aggressive, finding my spots,"[/b] he added.[/p][embed guid="ccd8d468-ccb1-46ee-bf59-5a104ad57169" url="https://x.com/celtics/status/2024721426079441022" social-type="twitter" /][p]The [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/cleveland-cavaliers/xGk13Tb6/"]Cleveland Cavaliers[/a] earned a sixth consecutive win. The Cavs beat the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/brooklyn-nets/bsAMUpDO/"]Brooklyn Nets[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/basketball/brooklyn-nets-bsAMUpDO/cleveland-cavaliers-xGk13Tb6/?mid=OrFT91S0"]112-84[/a] to draw level with the Knicks in third place.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/johnson-jalen/St5Wx0bR/"]Jalen Johnson[/a] dominated a [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/basketball/atlanta-hawks-xAO4gBas/philadelphia-76ers-vwRW2QSh/?mid=W8Iy8ucD"]117-107[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/atlanta-hawks/xAO4gBas/"]Atlanta Hawks[/a] road win over the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/philadelphia-76ers/vwRW2QSh/"]Philadelphia 76ers[/a], scoring 32 points, with 10 rebounds, five assists and three steals.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/durant-kevin/pKXcd9rI/"]Kevin Durant[/a] managed 35 points in the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/houston-rockets/Sr9PQALP/"]Houston Rockets[/a]' [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/basketball/charlotte-hornets-xftMikUg/houston-rockets-Sr9PQALP/?mid=2TQKBNcl"]105-101 victory[/a] over the Hornets.[/p][p][b]In the West, the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/sacramento-kings/CvwE1OCB/"]Sacramento Kings[/a] set an unwanted franchise record with a 15-game losing streak after going [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/basketball/orlando-magic-QZMS36Dn/sacramento-kings-CvwE1OCB/?mid=tr8L7W2U"]down 131-94[/a] to the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/orlando-magic/QZMS36Dn/"]Orlando Magic[/a].[/b][/p][image alt="The Kings are in shocking form" id="c9209e55-c783-4156-817a-d805c920a850" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="d5238a9b-21de-4e63-b636-825a8211ac4e" original-width="1200" original-height="1200" /][p]And the second-placed [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/san-antonio-spurs/IwmkErSH/"]San Antonio Spurs[/a] put some pressure on the leaders, the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/oklahoma-city-thunder/0fHFHEWD/"]Oklahoma City Thunder[/a], with a [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/basketball/phoenix-suns-M1Gy2pra/san-antonio-spurs-IwmkErSH/?mid=C2G4BE35"]121-94 triumph[/a] over the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/phoenix-suns/M1Gy2pra/"]Phoenix Suns[/a].[/p][p]The Spurs' seventh consecutive win takes them to 39-16, still trailing the Thunder on 42-14.[/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/basketball/usa/nba/"]Follow the NBA action on Flashscore.[/a][/b][/p]