How Have The Detroit Pistons Fared Without Cade Cunningham?

Once Detroit Pistons point guard Cade Cunningham went down with a collapsed lung with 14 games remaining in the regular season, the team’s prospects of remaining the one seed in the Eastern Conference looked substantially more murky. 

All season long, Cunningham had been the engine that propelled the Pistons from a playoff hopeful to a bona fide title contender. With the All-Star starter at the helm, Cunningham tied a franchise record with 13 consecutive victories in the first half of the season, and the fifth-year floor general has kept his foot on the gas pedal ever since. 

Although Cunningham averages 24.5 points, 5.6 rebounds and 9.9 assists per game, the Oklahoma State product’s impact is much more comprehensive than those standout numbers would suggest. But even without Cunningham in the lineup to contribute as of late, the Pistons have found a way to keep chugging along with a 6-1 record since the MVP candidate’s injury. 

So, how has Detroit been able to pivot on the fly without their clear-cut general on the floor to guide them? Take a look at some graphics from the combination of @TipOffBall and @Rambzee_ on X for a better sense of how the Pistons’ offense has flowed through more hands over the last half dozen games. 

As the visual shows, the Pistons offense dips slightly when Cunningham has been sidelined, but Detroit has compensated for that predictable reality by clamping down even further on the defensive end. And for a team that’s ranked comfortably in the top five league-wide for defense this season, that’s saying something. 

Detroit has managed to post 115 points per game through Cunningham’s absences this season, and a large portion of that production comes by virtue of the team’s dogged, relentless defense. A five-man approach to creating turnovers has served to spark reliable offense while Cade has been out, but the No. 1 seed in the East has also leaned on All-Star center Jalen Duren to reach another level in his scoring contributions. 

Over the past 15 games, Duren has operated as one of the elite big men in the NBA with the volume to fully showcase what he’s capable of. Duren has performed as a nightly 24-point, 12-rebound player for the Pistons during the past month, and the first-time All-Star has played like he wants to reserve his place in that mid-year exhibition for many seasons to come. 

But apart from Duren’s additional shot diet and the Pistons’ ramped up defensive efforts, Detroit has benefited from a deep cast of players who have contributed off the ball while still leaving room to grow from a shooting standpoint. 

Two games ago, Huerter put up 22 points for the Pistons against the Hornets, but that’s the most he’s scored in a Detroit uniform so far. So, Huerter’s effort was certainly appreciated as it helped Detroit defeat the Pelicans, but it’s been the exception as opposed to the rule, which goes for a few other Pistons role players as well. 

But to put a different spin on those same numbers, what it shows is that the Pistons can still reach another level offensively if the supporting cast in Detroit starts to hit shots on a more consistent basis once Cunningham, who is a far superior playmaker to Daniss Jenkins with all due respect, finally makes his triumphant return.

For now, the Pistons are working to finish the regular season strong with eight more games on the docket before reaching the postseason. Detroit currently holds a 4.5 game lead over the Boston Celtics with games against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Toronto Raptors and Charlotte Hornets still to come. 

For more information on the latest Detroit Pistons team or player news, follow @EricJRutter on X for continued basketball coverage. Also be sure to look up Roundtable - Michigan Men Media on Facebook for continued social media coverage of all the sporting teams in the Mitten.