Grant, Cunningham lead Pistons to rare rout of Hawks

Updated Mar. 23, 2022 9:21 p.m. ET

Associated Press

DETROIT (AP) — Jeremi Grant scored 21 points and the slumping Detroit Pistons routed the Atlanta Hawks 122-101 on Wednesday night.

Cade Cunningham added 17 points and eight assists for Detroit. The Pistons led by 29 points while winning for the second time in eight games.

Detroit had eight players in double figures as they easily surpassed its previous biggest victory margin of the season, 16 against Toronto on Jan. 14. Saddiq Bey hit his 192nd 3-pointer of the season in the fourth quarter, breaking Allan Houston’s franchise record.

Trae Young had 21 points and nine assists for Atlanta, De’Andre Hunter scored 15 points, and Bogan Bogdanovic added 13. The Hawks had won five of seven.

The Pistons shot 48.9% in the first half on their way to a 59-51 lead, then started the third quarter with a 16-4 run to force Hawks coach Nate McMillan to call a timeout with his team down 75-55.

Detroit, though, continued the run with nine more points before McMillan called another timeout with the score 84-55. This time, his reserves responded, narrowing the Pistons lead to 93-78 going into the fourth quarter.

Detroit's defense held Atlanta to two points in the first four minutes of the period and the Hawks never seriously challenged down the stretch.

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Hawks: Atlanta starters Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot and Clint Capela combined for one point in the first half, missing all seven of their field-goal attempts. Capela had nine rebounds in the half.

Pistons: Kelly Olynyk scored 10 points in nine first-half minutes, going 4-6 from the floor, including a 3-pointer and a three-point play.

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Hawks: Host Golden State on Friday night.

Pistons: Host Washington on Friday night.