Detroit Pistons superstar guard Cade Cunningham was on the floor for only 26:31 against the Washington Wizards on Monday night. He picked up his fifth personal foul in the third quarter and did not return until midway through the fourth, finishing with 17 points on 43.8 percent shooting from the field in a 122-111 win for Detroit.
Head coach J.B. Bickerstaff was asked what Cunningham does so well, in comments reported by Hunter Patterson of The Athletic. Bickerstaff said, “He just needs to be himself. Cade has been amazing since we’ve been here at understanding the moment and doing what’s right in the moment. He’s always put the team first, so this isn’t going to be about him doing something for him. It’s going to be what the game deems necessary and how (defenses) decide to defend him.”
Nov 8, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (2) drives past Los Angeles Lakers forward Jake LaRavia (12) in the first half at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect (Reuters)
Cade Cunningham shaped the Pistons win in other ways
Even with the 17 points, Cunningham grabbed three rebounds, recorded seven assists and added one steal. He is about making the right play for his teammates and getting them involved.
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Cunningham is averaging 22.3 points and 7.6 assists per game this season, and that assist average ranks ninth in the NBA. The number is down from the 9.9 assists per game he posted last season, but Cunningham is still willing to share the basketball with his teammates.
Detroit has needed that playmaking more than usual. Center Jalen Duren, who has been out since late October, will miss at least two more weeks with a right hamstring strain, the Pistons said Sunday, and that latest Duren update leaves Cunningham setting up a reshuffled frontcourt.
Three Pistons outscored Cunningham against Washington
Duncan Robinson and Daniss Jenkins each scored 22 points in the game for Detroit, and Jenkins added eight assists. As for John Collins, he led the Pistons with 24 points and 10 rebounds against the Wizards.
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Detroit needed all of it. Washington’s Anthony Davis went for 44 points and 13 rebounds and the Pistons still pulled away. It was good to see other players on this team be able to contribute and help out Cunningham. It is one of the reasons why the Pistons are off to a 7-3 start this NBA season.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: Sports.yahoo.com
