Cade Cunningham Outduels Jalen Green as Pistons Beat Rockets
In the battle of the top two picks from the 2021 NBA draft, Round 1 went to Cade Cunningham.
His Detroit Pistons got the best of Jalen Green's Houston Rockets on Wednesday night, 112-104, in a marquee matchup between the young stars.
It was the first of many future showdowns between No. 1 pick Cunningham and No. 2 selection Green, a rivalry made all the spicier by Green's comments in August that he "wanted to be the No. 1 pick, but as for the location, I didn't want to be in Detroit."
"I wouldn't be stepping outside in Detroit," he added at the time. "There are not many things you can do in Detroit like that. You're going to stay in the gym and then go back to your apartment."
If you don't think Green views this as a rivalry, well, think again:
That added a little heat to Wednesday's highly anticipated matchup. Round 1 lived up to the hype.
Key Stats
Jerami Grant, DET: 35 points, 5 rebounds
Cade Cunningham, DET: 20 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals
Saddiq Bey, DET: 16 points, 9 rebounds
Jalen Green, HOU: 23 points, 5 rebounds
Christian Wood, HOU: 20 points, 9 rebounds
Kevin Porter Jr., HOU: 18 points, 5 assists
The Rooks Were Good, But Jerami Grant Stole The Show
Both teams downplayed Wednesday night's matchup as the battle of the top two picks. Then Grant went out and outplayed them both.
This is why Detroit signed him to a three-year, $60 million deal before the 2020-21 season. At 2-8, the Pistons may not be very good, but they at least have a reliable veteran for the younger players to emulate.
Grant has had a slow start to the season, averaging just 16.6 points per game coming into tonight. However, the offensive dam finally broke for him against Houston.
Jalen Green Isn't Shy
There aren't many shots Green is afraid to take. He was averaging 13.3 field-goal attempts per game, though his efficiency was a major issue, shooting just 35.3 percent from the field.
He wasn't shy on Wednesday either, and his efficiency was a bit better (8-of-20 from the field, 40 percent). He's always good for some flashy highlights, too.
Unlike the Pistons, who have a player like Grant, the 1-10 Rockets don't really have a main source of offense outside of Green (especially since John Wall likely won't play this year). The Rockets need Green to remain aggressive, but it's hard to imagine that being much of an issue.
What's Next?
The Rockets host the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday at 8 p.m. ET, while the Pistons travel that same day to face the Cleveland Cavaliers and No. 3 pick Evan Mobley at 7:30 p.m. ET.
