Pistons End 18-Year Drought With 50th Win Without Cunningham

Detroit reaches milestone despite absence of injured All-Star point guard

Mar. 20, 2026 at 5:38am

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The Detroit Pistons achieved a historic milestone by earning their 50th win of the regular season, the first time they've reached that mark since the 2007-08 season. The Pistons accomplished this feat without their All-Star point guard Cade Cunningham, who suffered a collapsed lung injury earlier in the week. Despite Cunningham's absence, the team played with inspired energy and got major contributions from center Jalen Duren and the supporting cast to pull away from the Washington Wizards.

Why it matters

Reaching 50 wins is a significant accomplishment for the Pistons, who have struggled for nearly two decades to return to that level of success. The team's ability to overcome the loss of their star player shows their depth and resilience, and is a testament to the work head coach J.B. Bickerstaff has done in rebuilding the franchise.

The details

The Pistons jumped out to a 35-14 lead in the first quarter and never looked back, outscoring the Wizards 57-43 in the second half to cruise to the victory. Duren dominated with 24 points and 11 rebounds, while reserves Paul Reed and Ausar Thompson also made major contributions. The team played with an inspired effort to make up for Cunningham's absence.

  • The Pistons earned their 50th win of the 2026 regular season on March 20.
  • Cade Cunningham suffered a collapsed lung injury in the first five minutes of the Pistons' previous game against the Wizards on March 18.

The players

Cade Cunningham

The Pistons' All-Star point guard who is sidelined with a collapsed lung injury.

J.B. Bickerstaff

The head coach of the Detroit Pistons, who has overseen the team's rebuilding efforts.

Jalen Duren

The Pistons' All-Star center, who had a dominant 24-point, 11-rebound performance in the win.

Ausar Thompson

A Pistons forward who spoke about the team playing with Cunningham "in our minds" during his absence.

Paul Reed

The Pistons' backup center, who scored 17 points off the bench.

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What they’re saying

“Obviously, it's tough. It's tough for Cade to go through what he's going through now. He's a huge part of what we do from a leadership standpoint. Obviously, the talent's there, but just being around him every day makes people's days better.”

— J.B. Bickerstaff, Head Coach

“We play with him in our minds. How hard he goes every day, his energy, we've got to step up as a collective and bring that. … When he comes back, we're going to be very excited and ready for him to step in and do what he does.”

— Ausar Thompson, Forward

“It's progress, and that's what we're here for is to ultimately continue to get better. And I think we've done that. But there's more to go and that's the most important thing is we're focusing on what we have left, how we prepare ourselves for tomorrow.”

— J.B. Bickerstaff, Head Coach

What’s next

The Pistons will await updates on Cade Cunningham's recovery timeline and look to continue their strong play without their star point guard.

The takeaway

The Pistons' ability to reach 50 wins for the first time in 18 years without their All-Star Cade Cunningham demonstrates the team's depth, resilience, and the strong coaching of J.B. Bickerstaff. This milestone is a testament to the Pistons' sustained improvement and their emergence as a force in the Eastern Conference.