Detroit-Cade Cunningham scored 40 points a day after being selected as an All-Star reserve, helping Detroit Pistons to beat the Dallas Mavericks 117-102 on Friday night.
Cunningham coincided with a maximum of the season by points in 17 of 30 shots, drawing “MVP” songs of the crowd of small caesars sand in the final minutes. He added six rebounds and four assists as he fell three points before his best 43 points of his career.
Cunningham beat his teammates 16-15 in the third quarter, including eight points in the final 2:42.
“He only plays at his own pace and you can say that he has a confidence on him this year that is different from last year,” said the Kyrie Irving Mavs Guard. “Really happy for him who finally got his head for the game of stars. It’s good.”
The effort of 40 points on Friday limited a January January for Cunningham, who scored at least 30 points in eight games. He also scored his fifth game of at least 35 points this season, overcoming the total of his three previous seasons of the NBA combined.
General selection number 1 in the 2021 draft, Cunningham, 23, is averaging the best races at the score (25.3 points), assists (9.3), rebounds (6.4) and robberies (1.2).
Tobias Harris added 17 points and Jalen Duran had 16 points and 13 rebounds for the Pistons, who broke a three -game losing streak.
Irving led Dallas with 28 points. PJ Washington had 22 points and 13 rebounds.
ESPN Research and Associated Press contributed to this report.