After missing six games with a left shin contusion, Cade Cunningham made his long-awaited return for the Detroit Pistons at Little Caesars Arena on Saturday.
It was spoiled by a big night from Memphis' Desmond Bane, though, as he led all scorers with 38 points and the Grizzlies defeated the Pistons at home, 109-103. Bane shot 15-for-23 and knocked down a dagger 3-pointer with 53 seconds remaining to open a 104-98 lead the Pistons didn't have enough time to overcome.
Jaren Jackson Jr. (Michigan State) added 27 points and 11 rebounds, helping the Grizzlies overcome Ja Morant's absence due to illness.
With the loss, the Pistons (43-35) remained in fifth place in the Eastern Conference, by mere percentage points over the Milwaukee Bucks, who played later Saturday. The Pistons clinched a top-six playoff seed for the first time since 2008 on Friday with a road win over the Toronto Raptors.
Despite Cunningham's return, the Pistons were still notably shorthanded. Jalen Duren was ruled out pregame with a right peroneal contusion, and Tobias Harris missed his fourth game with right heel soreness. But they were lifted by Isaiah Stewart, who came back from a two-game suspension and started in Duren's place.
Cunningham led the Pistons with 25 points and nine rebounds. Ausar Thompson scored 18 points, grabbed 11 rebounds, dished out five assists and tallied one block and one steal, and Stewart added 16 points, eight rebounds, four assists and three blocks while knocking down two of his four attempts from 3.
It was a cold night offensively for the Pistons, who shot 38.9% overall on the second night of a back-to-back, and their third game in four days. Veteran marksmen Malik Beasley and Tim Hardaway Jr. were 4-for-18 from 3 combined. Without Duren, the Pistons were crushed on the offensive glass, 17-8, and were outscored, 23-9, in second-chance points.
