Cunningham Scores 26 as Pistons Beat 76ers 106-93, Handing Philadelphia First Loss

The Detroit Pistons beat the Philadelphia 76ers 106-93 on Sunday, October 25, 2026, at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia, with Cade Cunningham scoring 26 points as Detroit improved to 3-0 and handed Philadelphia its first loss of the season.

Detroit led from the first quarter and never trailed after its fast start. PhillyVoice reported that Detroit went up 12-1 in the first two minutes and change, and Philadelphia never led in the game. Detroit won the first quarter 34-22, led by twelve at the half after both teams scored 22 in the second quarter, and closed the game with a 27-24 fourth quarter.

Cunningham leads four Pistons in double figures

Cade Cunningham led Detroit with 26 points and 8 rebounds, with 7 assists as reported by Sixers Wire. Duncan Robinson scored 21 points for Detroit. Daniss Jenkins added 18 points, and John Collins had 16 points and 11 rebounds, according to DYMA Data. Detroit had four scorers with at least 16 points.

Detroit built a 21-point lead late in the first half. Philadelphia fought back to within five points in the third quarter before Detroit pulled away again, according to Sixers Wire. Philadelphia won the third quarter 25-23, but the Pistons answered in the fourth and finished with a thirteen-point margin.

Maxey and the returning James lead Philadelphia

Tyrese Maxey led all scorers with 29 points, plus 5 rebounds and 4 assists, for Philadelphia, according to Sixers Wire.

LeBron James returned from a one-game absence and had 18 points and 5 assists for Philadelphia. He had sat out Saturday's first leg of the back-to-back. FantasyPros, citing the 76ers injury reporting, said he was off the injury report for Sunday after managing lower back discomfort and sciatica.

Jaylen Brown added 16 points for Philadelphia, and Adem Bona had 6 points, 13 rebounds and 3 blocks off the bench.

Both teams were shorthanded

Philadelphia played without Joel Embiid, who was out with right plantar fasciitis injury management, without VJ Edgecombe with an abdominal contusion, and without Jabari Walker with left knee soreness, according to NBC Sports Philadelphia. Detroit played without Jalen Duren with a right hamstring strain and without Ausar Thompson with a right ankle sprain.

It was Philadelphia's second game of a back-to-back and its third game in four nights. The loss dropped the 76ers to 3-1. Philadelphia's next game is Wednesday at the Indiana Pacers, according to NBC Sports Philadelphia.

For Detroit, the win kept a perfect early record intact on the road against a shorthanded opponent, built on a first-quarter start that Philadelphia never fully recovered from, a 21-point first-half lead, and enough scoring depth to answer the one serious run the 76ers made in the third quarter on Sunday night in Philadelphia.