Cade Cunningham Dominates Knicks with 42 Points at Madison Square Garden

The Detroit Pistons put together a statement performance at Madison Square Garden, rolling past the New York Knicks 126–111 to complete a clean 3–0 sweep in the regular season series. Cade Cunningham led the way with a dominant all-around showing — 42 points, 13 assists and 8 rebounds — controlling the game from start to finish.

Cunningham Shines Despite Key Absences

Detroit was shorthanded, playing without Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart, both suspended after their altercation with Charlotte before the NBA All-Star break. That didn’t slow them down. Paul Reed stepped into the starting lineup and delivered — 18 points, 7 rebounds and 3 blocks — bringing energy on both ends.

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Tobias Harris chipped in across the board with 11 points, 10 rebounds and 5 assists, while Ausar Thompson added 10 points, helping round out a balanced and efficient team effort.

CADE CUNNINGHAM WENT OFF AT MSG 🔥

42 PTS
8 REB
13 AST
2 BLK
5 3PM

4 straight wins for the @DetroitPistons! pic.twitter.com/kBpLahGMOq

— NBA (@NBA) February 20, 2026

Cunningham set the tone early, pouring in 24 points in the first half to give Detroit a 58–48 lead at the break. The Pistons’ lead guard finished shooting 50% from the field (17-of-34), including 5-of-11 from beyond the arc, all while handing out 13 assists and dictating the tempo throughout.

Knicks Helpless Facing Poor Shooting

New York couldn’t buy a shot from deep, finishing just 8-of-35 from three (23%). After Jalen Brunson opened the scoring with a triple, the Knicks proceeded to miss their next 15 attempts from beyond the arc in the first half — a stretch that stalled their offense early.

Brunson still put up 30 points, and Karl-Anthony Towns added 21 points and 11 rebounds, but it wasn’t enough to close the gap. Landry Shamet chipped in 15 off the bench, yet overall the Knicks struggled to find consistent answers against Detroit’s disciplined, well-organized defense.

A Revealing 3-0 Sweep Against Eastern Leaders

This victory marks the Pistons’ third consecutive win against the Knicks this season, with an average margin of 28 points across the three meetings (121-90 on January 5, 118-80 on February 6, and 126-111 Thursday night). Detroit thus confirms its dominance over the team that eliminated them in the playoffs last season.

The Pistons, Eastern Conference leaders with a 41-13 record, continue to impress with Cunningham positioning himself as a serious MVP candidate. « I think I am (MVP), » Cunningham declared after the game. « And if you don’t agree with me, that’s your opinion. »

This performance at Madison Square Garden strengthens Cunningham’s arguments in the MVP race, as he averages 25.3 points and 9.6 assists this season, guiding Detroit to unexpected heights.

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