Cunningham enters James territory with Madison Square Garden masterpiece

Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (2) is guarded by New York Knicks guard Mikal Bridges (25) during the second half at Madison Square Garden. Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Cade Cunningham enters LeBron James territory with historic Madison Square Garden masterpiece

By Yagya Bhargava | Last updated Feb 20, 2026 12:03 PM ET

Cade Cunningham walked into Madison Square Garden on Thursday night and delivered one of the best performances of his career.

The Detroit Pistons beat the New York Knicks, 126-111, in a game that felt like more than just another win in the standings.

Cunningham finished with 42 points, 13 assists, and eight rebounds while carving up New York's defense from start to finish. He also made five three-pointers.

Those numbers put him in some serious company.

Pistons' Cade Cunningham notches historic stat line in win over Knicks

Not only was Cunningham the first Pistons player to ever tally 40-plus points, 10-plus assists, five-plus rebounds and five-plus three-pointers made in a game, but he joined LeBron James and Allen Iverson as the only players with 40-plus points and 10-plus assists at Madison Square Garden.

The NBA made sure to point out just how such a stat line is in that building.

It was also Cunningham's only regular-season trip to the Garden this year, which made the night stand out even more.

CADE COOKING: All-Star Cade Cunningham delivered a rare stat line in his lone regular-season trip to Madison Square Garden last night, recording 42 points, 13 assists and eight rebounds as the Detroit Pistons defeated the New York Knicks in an Eastern Conference showdown. The… pic.twitter.com/zAnie0zlkC
— NBA (@NBA) February 20, 2026

Detroit has now won four straight games and 16 of its last 20. The Pistons aren't sneaking up on anyone at this point.

The turnaround has been dramatic. Two seasons ago, Detroit stumbled to a 14-68 record and suffered through a 28-game losing streak that wouldn't end. Last year brought a bounce-back season with a 44-38 finish, and the team has carried that momentum straight into this year.

After his latest performance, Cunningham made it clear where he thinks he stands in the league.

"I think I am [MVP]," Cunningham told ESPN. "And if you don't agree with me, that's your opinion."

The way he's playing right now, that confidence doesn't sound out of place.

Now the Pistons sit at the top of the Eastern Conference with a 41-13 record. Only the Oklahoma City Thunder in the West has a better mark at 42-14.

Yagya Bhargava

Yagya Bhargava began his professional journey as a chef, but his passion for sports eventually led him into sports journalism. He started writing in 2022 and has since published more than 5,000 articles covering the NFL and NBA. Along the way, he’s worked with outlets like The Cold Wire, Sportskeeda, The SportsRush, and The Big Lead

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