Inside The Heat

Miami Heat Misery Continues Vs. Pistons With Cade Cunningham Bank-Shot Winner

Shandel Richardson

Mar 19, 2025; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro (14) drives to the basket against Detroit Pistons forward Ausar Thompson (9) during the second quarter at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
Mar 19, 2025; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro (14) drives to the basket against Detroit Pistons forward Ausar Thompson (9) during the second quarter at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images / Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
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At first, it appeared the Miami Heat were on pace to end an eight-game losing streak.

Instead, it was increased to nine after Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham hit a bank-shot 3-pointer with 0.6 seconds left in a 116-113 victory Wednesday at Kaseya Center. The losing streak is the longest of Heat coach Erik Spoelstra's career.

The Heat once again blew a double-digit lead. They led by 10 after one quarter before allowing the Pistons to recover in the second. It has been a common theme this season. Cunningham led Detroit with 25 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists. He was one of six Pistons in double-figures.

The Heat's nine straight losses surpassed the eight-game skid from 2008 when Pat Riley was still in charge. It was the final season before Spoelstra took over.

The loss spoiled strong efforts from Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro of the Heat. Adebayo finished with a game-high 30 points, nine rebounds and eight assists. Herro checked out with 29 points, four rebounds and three assists.

At 29-39, the Heat are now in the No. 10 spot in the Eastern Conference standings. They are tied with the Chicago Bulls but both teams are most likely guaranteed another spot in the Play-In Tournament.

Barring a collapse and late charge by the Toronto Raptors, this marks the third straight year the Heat will appear in the same situation.

Shandel Richardson is the publisher of Miami Heat On SI. He can be reached at shandelrich@gmail.com

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Shandel Richardson
SHANDEL RICHARDSON

Shandel has covered the NBA since 2010, with previous stops at The Athletic and South Florida Sun-Sentinel.  He has covered six NBA Finals, one Super Bowl, the NCAA basketball tournament. He has also been a beat writer for the Miami Hurricanes and contributed on every major beat in South Florida since 2003, including the Miami Dolphins and Miami Marlins. He can also be read in the Sportsbook Review for gambling coverage from around the NBA. A native of Bloomington, Illinois, Shandel attended Southern Illinois University in Carbondale. He's also worked for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and Kansas City Star.  TWITTER: @ShandelRich EMAIL: shandelrich@gmail.com You can subscribe to our YouTube channel here Follow all of our Miami Heat coverage on Facebook here