NBA Notes: Pistons, Cade Cunningham, Warriors, Stephen Curry, Lakers

Pistons

Cade Cunningham flipped the game.

Detroit trailed by 13 in Philadelphia. The Pistons looked flat. They looked like the team from two years ago, not the one that has burst out of the gate this fall.

Then the second half started.

Cunningham erupted for 24 of his 26 after halftime — including a poster dunk over former Piston Andre Drummond — as Detroit rallied for a 111-108 road win.

It’s the Pistons’ best 10-game start since the 2005-06 team opened 9-1.

“It’s not hard to believe,” Cunningham said, via Tim Bontemps of ESPN. “Even then, I couldn’t believe we were in such a low. So to be here now, I feel like we’re where we’re supposed to be.”

Cunningham has been sensational. And so has Jalen Duren.

Duren delivered 21 points and 16 boards. He’s already topped 20 points six times and he’s been a huge reason the Pistons sit as a top-3 defense through 10 games.

“He’s been dominant,” coach J.B. Bickerstaff told reporters. “He’s a threat in pick-and-roll. He’s an elite communicator. He connects our group.”

Detroit is 8-2. They are looking up at only the Thunder in the league standings.

Cunningham isn’t satisfied.

“My faith in myself kept me pushing,” he said. “This is something we all want, but we want something bigger than this.”

Warriors

Stephen Curry missed his third straight because of illness in Sunday’s win over Indiana, but Steve Kerr told reporters the expectation is Curry returns Tuesday in Oklahoma City, per Anthony Slater of ESPN.

Golden State had dropped eight straight without Curry dating back to last spring before Sunday’s break-through.

The Warriors started 4-1 but entered Sunday having lost four of their last five.

Lakers

Lakers guard Austin Reaves has been upgraded to questionable for Monday at Charlotte, per Law Murray of The Athletic.

Reaves was off to a monster start before his groin strain, averaging 31.1 points and 9.3 assists.

For Charlotte, LaMelo Ball is out again with an ankle impingement. Miles Bridges is questionable with back spasms.