Jalen Brunson vs Cade Cunningham: Head-to-head matchup explored ahead of pivotal Game 3 | 2025 NBA Playoffs

As two of the top point guards in the NBA this season, Jalen Brunson and Cade Cunningham squaring off is a matchup many have zeroed in on. It has not disappointed thus far, with each team picking up a win thus far.

Following an impressive showing from Cunningham in Game 2, things now head to Detroit for a pivotal Game 3. The Pistons find themselves with a golden opportunity to pull off an upset since they've managed to steal one on the road.

Seeing that they are both the focal point of their team's offense, Cunningham and Brunson have been two of the top performers in this series. Before they square off again in Game 3, here is a deeper dive into their head-to-head matchup.

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Jalen Brunson vs Cade Cunningham head-to-head postseason stats

Given their height disparity, Brunson has not been among the players deployed to defend Cade Cunningham. However, it's something the Pistons star should hunt more often. With Brunson on him, he's had a lot of success in this series.

In the brief moments Brunson has had to defend Cunningham, he's struggled to slow him down. The former No. 1 pick had five points on 2-for-2 shooting on Brunson in Game 1, followed by seven points on 2-for-3 shooting in Game 2.

While most of the talk around him has to do with his offense, Cunningham gives a lot of effort on the defensive end as well. It might be a bit premature to label him a two-way star, but he's more than capable of holding his own.

The Pistons want to preserve Cunningham's energy for offense, so he typically isn't given the assignment of Brunson on defense. However, he's done a fine job on the Knicks star in the brief moments he has to guard him.

In Game 1, Brunson failed to score on Cunningham in possesions he was matched up on him. He mustered two points in Game 2, but they came from the free-thow line. So far in this series, Brunson has yet to record a made field goal on Cunningham.

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Jalen Brunson vs Cade Cunningham regular season stats

In the midst of his breakout campaign this season, Cade Cunningham posted career highs across the board. Among the teams he had the most success against was the Knicks.

The Pistons won the season series 3-1, with Cunningham being a major catalyst. Across the four matchups, he averaged 30.8 points, 5.0 rebounds and 8.3 assists on 56/52/80 shooting splits. Cunningham's best showing was a December 7th meeting, where he notched a triple-double in a win (29 points, 10 rebounds, 15 assists).

Though New York had their struggles against the Pistons, Brunson was not one of their issues. When facing Detroit in the regular season, he averaged 28.3 points, 2.8 rebounds and 7.8 assists. His best outing came in the Knicks' lone victory, notching 36 points and five assists.

With their playoff series all tied up at one, these star guards will be pulling out all the stops in hopes of keeping their season alive.