Cade Cunningham's Last-Second Heroics Hand Heat Their 9th Straight Loss
In a nail-biting finish, Cade Cunningham nailed a 3-pointer with just milliseconds left on the clock, leading the Detroit Pistons to a 116-113 victory over the Miami Heat on Wednesday night. This win marks the Heat's ninth consecutive loss, a streak that has fans and analysts alike raising eyebrows.
Cunningham's performance was nothing short of spectacular, as he recorded his ninth triple-double of the season, finishing with 25 points, 12 rebounds, and 11 assists. The Pistons found themselves trailing for most of the second half, only managing to lead by a slim margin of two points until the very end.
On the other side, Bam Adebayo shone for the Heat, scoring 30 points while also contributing nine rebounds and eight assists. Unfortunately for Miami, this marks their longest losing streak since the 2007-08 season, when they suffered through an 11-game slump.
Heading into the fourth quarter, Miami held a 93-88 lead and even stretched it to an eight-point advantage during the final period. However, this loss adds to the Heat's troubling record, as they have now lost 12 times this season after leading at any point in the fourth quarter.
In a surprising twist, the Pistons entered the game as 5-point favorites according to BetMGM Sportsbook, breaking a streak of 20 consecutive games where Miami was favored against Detroit since February 2019. The last time Detroit was such a favorite over Miami was back on January 1, 2017.
Tyler Herro also made a significant impact for the Heat, scoring 29 points. Despite his efforts, Miami struggled on the boards, getting out-rebounded 47-37 and allowing 70 points in the paint.
Cunningham was instrumental in the closing moments, hitting both of Detroit's final baskets, both from beyond the arc, in the last 57 seconds of the game. With this performance, he becomes the fourth player in NBA history to record two triple-doubles against Miami in a single season, joining the ranks of stars like James Harden, Domantas Sabonis, and Nikola Jokic.
Looking ahead, the Pistons will head to Dallas on Friday, gearing up for a crucial stretch where they will play seven of their last 11 games at home. Meanwhile, the Heat will continue their five-game homestand on Friday against the Houston Rockets, hoping to turn their fortunes around.
