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For a guy making his first-ever NBA playoff appearance, Pistons star Cade Cunningham has showed himself to up for the challenge. Mostly through bad luck and one especially egregious bad call, the Pistons trail, 3-2, in the series as we prepare for Game 6 in Detroit, but there have been significant portions of this showdown in which the Pistons have looked like the better team.
That's mostly down to Cunningham's brilliance. While the rest of his teammates have struggled to score, Cunningham is playing his best basketball, having scored at least 20 points in all five games and racking up 10-plus assists in three of them.
On Thursday, the NBA issued a post hyping up Cunningham's first-round achievements.
The league wrote, "Cade Cunningham in his first career playoff series so far:
"He joins Oscar Robertson and Luka Dončić as only players in NBA history to average 25+ PPG, 8+ RPG and 8+ APG through their first 5 career playoff games!"
That is, of course, pretty good company.
Cunningham's efficiency has been lacking--he is shooting 43.0% from the field and 25.0% from the 3-point line--but he said he has gathered especially valuable lessons in the series.
Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (2) celebrates after scoring in the third quarter against the New York Knicks during game five of first round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
“I feel like I’ve learned as much within this series as I have all season,” Cunningham said Sunday. “There’s a lot to take away from it. Not everything I can share with y’all, but I think it’s great.”
Cunningham has also learned a few things about postseason brashness, which is a commodity that can be valuable, particularly in a 23-year-old neophyte.
After the Pistons beat the Knicks in Game 5, Cunningham promised, "We'll be back," for a Game 7 at MSG. The Pistons have yet to win on their home floor in the playoffs, but have now won twice in New York.
“Knowing that it’s gonna be a hostile environment, knowing that it’s gonna be a tough win, and everybody being locked in,” Cunningham said. “When our backs are against the wall, we’re better. We play better, we’re more together. I think tonight was an example of that, and now we gotta apply that to the crib.
“It’s everything you dream of. Playing with a full arena, a bunch of people booing you, that’s everything you dream of.”
Continue reading...
That's mostly down to Cunningham's brilliance. While the rest of his teammates have struggled to score, Cunningham is playing his best basketball, having scored at least 20 points in all five games and racking up 10-plus assists in three of them.
On Thursday, the NBA issued a post hyping up Cunningham's first-round achievements.
The league wrote, "Cade Cunningham in his first career playoff series so far:
- 25.4 PPG
- 8.6 RPG
- 8.8 APG
"He joins Oscar Robertson and Luka Dončić as only players in NBA history to average 25+ PPG, 8+ RPG and 8+ APG through their first 5 career playoff games!"
That is, of course, pretty good company.
Cunningham's efficiency has been lacking--he is shooting 43.0% from the field and 25.0% from the 3-point line--but he said he has gathered especially valuable lessons in the series.
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Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (2) celebrates after scoring in the third quarter against the New York Knicks during game five of first round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
“I feel like I’ve learned as much within this series as I have all season,” Cunningham said Sunday. “There’s a lot to take away from it. Not everything I can share with y’all, but I think it’s great.”
Cunningham has also learned a few things about postseason brashness, which is a commodity that can be valuable, particularly in a 23-year-old neophyte.
After the Pistons beat the Knicks in Game 5, Cunningham promised, "We'll be back," for a Game 7 at MSG. The Pistons have yet to win on their home floor in the playoffs, but have now won twice in New York.
“Knowing that it’s gonna be a hostile environment, knowing that it’s gonna be a tough win, and everybody being locked in,” Cunningham said. “When our backs are against the wall, we’re better. We play better, we’re more together. I think tonight was an example of that, and now we gotta apply that to the crib.
“It’s everything you dream of. Playing with a full arena, a bunch of people booing you, that’s everything you dream of.”
Continue reading...
