CHICAGO (Interstat) — Jalen Duren scored 26 points with 13 rebounds in his return from suspension, leading the Detroit Pistons to a 126-110 victory over the Chicago Bulls on Saturday night at United Center. Cade Cunningham added 18 points and 13 assists, narrowly missing a triple-double, as the league-leading Pistons won their fifth consecutive game. Detroit seized control with a 44-point third quarter, turning a narrow halftime edge into a commanding lead. The Bulls lost their eighth straight despite 27 points from Josh Giddey. The Pistons forced 23 Chicago turnovers and outscored the Bulls 44-26 in the decisive period. Detroit improved to 42-13, while Chicago fell to 24-33 before an announced crowd of 21,589.

CHICAGO (Interstat) — Jalen Duren returned from a suspension with 26 points and 13 rebounds, and the Detroit Pistons unleashed a dominant third-quarter surge to pull away from the Chicago Bulls for a 126-110 victory on Saturday night at United Center. Cade Cunningham orchestrated the attack with 18 points, 13 assists and nine rebounds, narrowly missing a triple-double, as the league-leading Pistons (42-13) won their fifth consecutive game. Tobias Harris added 18 points and Duncan Robinson scored 17 for Detroit, which handed the reeling Bulls their season-worst eighth straight loss, dropping them to 24-33. The most critical sequence of the game unfolded in the third quarter, transforming a competitive contest into a commanding Pistons lead. After entering halftime with a 53-50 advantage, Detroit erupted for 44 points in the period, outscoring Chicago by 18. The run was fueled by a devastating 19-2 burst that turned a 64-62 edge into an 83-66 stranglehold. The spree featured relentless interior scoring from Duren, who had missed two games for his role in a fight at Charlotte on Feb. 9, and pinpoint playmaking from Cunningham, who tallied six of his assists in the quarter. Duren’s physical presence was felt throughout, though it earned him a technical foul in the third quarter for casually dropping the ball on the face of Chicago’s Nick Richards as Richards lay on the floor. The incident did little to slow Detroit’s momentum, as the Pistons shot 51 of 105 from the field overall and capitalized on 23 Chicago turnovers, converting them into 31 points. Josh Giddey led the Bulls with 27 points, six rebounds and three assists. Rookie Matas Buzelis contributed 15 points, six rebounds, three assists and a game-high six blocks, part of a 13-block night for Chicago. Guerschon Yabusele finished with 12 points, nine rebounds and eight assists, while Jalen Smith and Isaac Okoro each scored 15. Despite the Bulls connecting on 17 of 40 three-point attempts, they could not overcome Detroit’s efficiency and ball security. The Pistons committed only 14 turnovers and assisted on 29 of their 51 made field goals, posting an offensive rating of 111.4 points per 100 possessions compared to Chicago’s 99.6. The game began at a brisk pace, with Chicago taking a 30-28 lead after the first quarter behind 10 points from Giddey. The Bulls’ shooting cooled in the second, however, as they managed just 20 points, allowing Detroit to seize a slim halftime lead. Any hope of a Chicago rally was extinguished by Detroit’s third-quarter explosion. The Pistons’ lead ballooned to as many as 29 points in the fourth quarter before both teams emptied their benches. Paul Reed provided a strong performance off the Detroit bench with 15 points and nine rebounds. The victory extended Detroit’s mastery over Chicago this season, having won all three meetings. The Pistons also covered the pregame spread as 10.5-point favorites, and the total score of 236 points went under the betting line of 229.5. A crowd of 21,589 at the United Center watched the Bulls’ struggles continue amid their longest skid of the season. Chicago will look to halt the slide Sunday when they host the New York Knicks. Detroit, continuing a strong stretch that has seen them win 12 of their last 13 games, returns home to face the San Antonio Spurs on Monday.

Preview: NBA Showdown in Chicago Features Surging Pistons, Struggling Bulls CHICAGO (Interstat) — The Eastern Conference-leading Detroit Pistons, riding one of the league’s hottest stretches, visit the struggling Chicago Bulls on Saturday at United Center. The Pistons (41-13) enter with the NBA’s best record and have won 10 of their last 12 games. Their most recent outing was a dominant 126-111 road victory over the New York Knicks on Thursday. Detroit’s success is fueled by superstar guard Cade Cunningham, who is playing at an MVP level. In the win over New York, he posted 42 points, 13 assists and eight rebounds. Over his last 10 games, Cunningham is averaging 28.8 points and 9.9 assists. Conversely, the Bulls (24-32) have lost seven of their last eight games, including a 110-101 home loss to Toronto on Thursday. Chicago has struggled defensively during the skid, allowing an average of 122.6 points in those eight contests. Forward Jalen Smith, averaging a double-double in recent weeks, will be a key factor. He had nine points and 10 rebounds against the Raptors. The season series favors Detroit, which has won two of three meetings. The Pistons won the last two matchups decisively: 124-113 on Nov. 12 and 108-93 on Jan. 7. Chicago’s lone win came in the season opener, 115-111, at home on Oct. 22. For Detroit, the game is part of a critical stretch to solidify its top playoff seeding. The Bulls, fading from the play-in picture, are in desperate need of a statement win to halt their slide. Containing Cunningham is Chicago’s foremost challenge, while the Pistons must navigate a potential trap game against a wounded division rival before returning home for a tough matchup with San Antonio on Monday. Saturday’s tipoff is set for 7 p.m. CST at United Center. The game will be broadcast on local sports networks.