NBA roundup: Cade Cunningham leads Pistons over Raptors, Jose Alvarado makes history

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/duren-jalen/xva6ve5b/"]Duren[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/stewart-isaiah/ETLNkHdm/"]Stewart[/a] were both handed multi-game suspensions for their part in a mass brawl during Monday's stormy victory over the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/charlotte-hornets/xftMikUg/"]Charlotte Hornets[/a].[/p][p]But the absence of the two [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/detroit-pistons/UcjMRj6J/"]Pistons[/a] centers had little effect on [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/detroit-pistons/UcjMRj6J/"]Detroit[/a] as they coasted to a [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/basketball/detroit-pistons-UcjMRj6J/toronto-raptors-CxtbCMdU/?mid=nFewjGfB"]wire-to-wire victory in Toronto[/a].[/p][p]Detroit's balanced offense set up the win, with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/reed-paul/jFhA7tOk/"]Paul Reed[/a] stepping into the void created by Duren and Stewart's absence with 22 points, while [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/robinson-duncan/vBYcPFk5/"]Duncan Robinson[/a] added 13 and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/harris-tobias/A7GXRiFJ/"]Tobias Harris[/a] 12.[/p][embed guid="b6bd7614-99b6-498e-a77c-c4b25e33d106" url="https://x.com/NBA/status/2021786266459873344?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]Pistons coach JB Bickerstaff singled out Reed for praise after the victory, saluting the 26-year-old's readiness to slot into the starting line-up seamlessly.[/p][p][b]"Basketball is what he eats, sleeps, bleeds,"[/b] Bickerstaff said. [b]"Every time he gets an opportunity it's quick twitch and ready to go. I've never seen a guy who prepares himself every day like he's gonna start and play 48 minutes."[/b][/p][p]The win leaves Detroit comfortably top of the Eastern Conference with a 40-13 record heading into the NBA All-Star break.[/p][h2]Around the league[/h2][p]The [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/boston-celtics/KYD9hVEm/"]Boston Celtics[/a] are second in the East after their [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/basketball/boston-celtics-KYD9hVEm/chicago-bulls-bPjc49q0/?mid=dYvwWopd"]124-105[/a] defeat of the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/chicago-bulls/bPjc49q0/"]Chicago Bulls[/a].[/p][p]The Celtics improved to 35-19 - 5.5 games back from the Pistons - thanks to 26 points off the bench from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/pritchard-payton/SWoc4GBt/"]Payton Pritchard[/a] and 24 from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/brown-jaylen/l88NjhUb/"]Jaylen Brown[/a].[/p][embed guid="87ac0898-17e3-4ee3-823a-015f06e12ae8" url="https://x.com/celtics/status/2021757513054482462?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]The [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/new-york-knicks/WCNO4nbt/"]New York Knicks[/a] are snapping at Boston's heels in third place after warming up for the break with a [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/basketball/new-york-knicks-WCNO4nbt/philadelphia-76ers-vwRW2QSh/?mid=pfLXiT6F"]138-89[/a] drubbing of the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/philadelphia-76ers/vwRW2QSh/"]Philadelphia 76ers[/a].[/p][p]After a shock reverse against the lowly [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/indiana-pacers/YPohMUTt/"]Indiana Pacers[/a] on Tuesday, the Knicks got back into their stride with a lopsided pummeling of the Sixers.[/p][p]The Knicks led by as many as 52 points at one stage in the fourth quarter as they sauntered to victory thanks to a blistering 26-point cameo off the bench from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/alvarado-jose/hOlBVHj1/"]Jose Alvarado[/a]. He became the first player in NBA history with a 26-point, five-steals, eight-threes stat line. [/p][p]Alvarado drained eight-of-13 three-pointers on his way to leading the scoring, with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/bridges-mikal/hCRWwI1R/"]Mikal Bridges[/a] adding 22 points and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/towns-karl-anthony/8np46E9P/"]Karl-Anthony Towns[/a] 21. [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/maxey-tyrese/r9DvnZeC/"]Tyrese Maxey[/a] led the Sixers with 32 points.[/p][embed guid="27ef5f33-5aa1-4819-8c59-b327fedb4d21" url="https://x.com/NBA/status/2021794374385119573?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]The [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/cleveland-cavaliers/xGk13Tb6/"]Cleveland Cavaliers[/a] stretched their winning streak to five games with a [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/basketball/cleveland-cavaliers-xGk13Tb6/washington-wizards-W6vGWPsn/?mid=4z0bwUiM"]138-113[/a] drubbing of the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/washington-wizards/W6vGWPsn/"]Washington Wizards[/a].[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mitchell-donovan/hhFqipLe/"]Donovan Mitchell[/a] scored 30 points for the Cavs, who are fourth in the table on 34-21.[/p][p]In Minneapolis, the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/minnesota-timberwolves/KjBIVQcI/"]Minnesota Timberwolves[/a]' [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/randle-julius/lhl0euwn/"]Julius Randle[/a] scored 41 points in a [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/basketball/minnesota-timberwolves-KjBIVQcI/portland-trail-blazers-4Awl14c5/?mid=je0Cpoak"]133-109[/a] defeat of the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/portland-trail-blazers/4Awl14c5/"]Portland Trail Blazers[/a].[/p][embed guid="ac91d090-d90d-4640-8874-bccd7624c51f" url="https://x.com/NBA/status/2021794882126508224?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]In the Western Conference, the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/oklahoma-city-thunder/0fHFHEWD/"]Oklahoma City Thunder[/a] maintained their lead at the top of the standings with an emphatic [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/basketball/oklahoma-city-thunder-0fHFHEWD/phoenix-suns-M1Gy2pra/?mid=vHt76SL8"]136-109 victory[/a] over the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/phoenix-suns/M1Gy2pra/"]Phoenix Suns.[/a][/p][p]Jalen Williams led the scoring with 28 points for Oklahoma City, who were without the injured Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.[/p][p]The [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/san-antonio-spurs/IwmkErSH/"]San Antonio Spurs[/a] remain Oklahoma City's nearest rivals in the West, improving to 38-16 after recording their sixth straight win with a [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/basketball/golden-state-warriors-SxUtXqch/san-antonio-spurs-IwmkErSH/?mid=OMwgcOre"]126-113 defeat[/a] of the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/golden-state-warriors/SxUtXqch/"]Golden State Warriors[/a] in San Francisco.[/p][embed guid="67f4067f-d4c7-4210-87e9-6a736aed2ae6" url="https://x.com/NBA/status/2021819323057115469" social-type="twitter" /][p]The Warriors led by 16 midway through the third quarter, but the game flipped as San Antonio outscored Golden State 32-19 in the fourth. De'Aaron Fox had 27 points and Victor Wembanyama 26 for the Spurs.[/p]