Cunningham keeps every possession: 52 points as Detroit wins in double overtime
Fifty-two points tell the story of a big night; eleven assists and no turnovers explain why Cade Cunningham made NBA history: Detroit beat Washington 144-140 in double overtime on November 12.[1][2]
La Gazzetta dello Sport published its roundup at 08:14 Italian time on November 13, before this edition's cutoff: this was the previous American evening's game, not a contest still in progress.[3]
## Scoring without losing control
The official box score gives Cunningham 16 field goals from 25 attempts, three three-pointers from five and 17 free throws from 18.[2]
The NBA identifies him as the first player with at least 50 points, ten assists and no turnovers; that historical comparison belongs to the turnover-tracking era, which began in 1977-78.[1]
The line invites us to consider possession management alongside scoring volume.
Washington extended the game twice: Trae Young's three-pointer forced the first overtime, and rookie AJ Dybantsa's midrange shot brought the second.[4]
Gazzetta then describes Cunningham making the difference both from outside and close to the basket, supported by Ausar Thompson.[4]
This was no comfortable win: the final margin was four points after Washington twice found a way to keep the contest alive.[1][4]
## Thompson's contribution
Alongside Cunningham came a different milestone: Thompson finished with 17 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists, his first career triple-double according to the NBA report.[1][2]
For Washington, Young scored 37 points with 14 assists, while Anthony Davis and Alex Sarr each contributed 30 points.[1]
Those figures show the Wizards' resistance without diminishing Cunningham's performance.
Our reading is that the record matters because of the game Detroit had to win; it should not replace the collective result.
The [official NBA box score](https://www.nba.com/pistons/game/0022600228-pistons-vs-wizards-washington-dc-11-12-2026/box-score) provides the underlying figures.[2]
## Sources
[1] https://www.nba.com/news/cade-cunningham-50-points-no-turnovers-pistons-wizards
[2] https://www.nba.com/pistons/game/0022600228-pistons-vs-wizards-washington-dc-11-12-2026/box-score
[3] https://www.gazzetta.it/Nba/storie/13-11-2026/nba-risultati-washington-detroit-philadelphia-toronto
[4] https://www.gazzetta.it/Nba/storie/13-11-2026/nba-risultati-washington-detroit-philadelphia-toronto/washington-detroit-140-144-d-2-t-s.shtml