Cade Cunningham delivers inspiring statement after playoffs debut ends in Pistons’ meltdown

Modified Apr 20, 2025 03:44 GMT

NBA: Playoffs-Detroit Pistons at New York Knicks - Source: Imagn — Cade Cunningham with an inspiring message following the Detroit Pistons' collapse against the New York Knicks on Saturday. [photo: Imagn]

Cade Cunningham’s Detroit Pistons wilted in the fourth quarter of Game 1 against the New York Knicks on Saturday. The inexperienced Pistons led 91-83 entering the fourth quarter before allowing the Knicks to drop a crippling 21-0 run. Detroit has now lost an NBA record 14 straight playoff games.

Cunningham had this to say about the Game 1 loss on the road:

“Just us playing our game, battling on the boards, the pace, get stops. At the end, just gotta clean up the little things, not turning the ball over, make sure we get good shots on the rim each trip and we’ve gotta cut out their second chance points.”

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Turnovers were the biggest reasons the Pistons could not finish the job they did with such poise in the first three quarters. Detroit lost the turnover battle 21-11 and points off turnovers 25-17. Cade Cunningham committed six errors, while no other player had more than three.

The Detroit Pistons also rushed possessions instead of running their plays as usual. They ended up taking hurried shots that only added fuel to the Knicks’ fourth-quarter blitz. Dennis Schroder’s basket with 9:16 remaining gave the Pistons a 98-90 lead. When Malik Beasley drained a 28-footer roughly five minutes later, New York already had the driver’s seat 111-101.

Cade Cunningham looks to lead the Detroit Pistons to first playoff win since 2008

The last time the Detroit Pistons won a playoff was May 26, 2008. Behind Antonio McDyess, Rip Hamilton, Chauncey Billups and Rasheed Wallace, they beat the Boston Celtics 95-75 in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals. The victory tied the series at 2-2 before Boston won the next two games.

Since that series, the Pistons are 0-12, suffering three straight shut outs to the Cleveland Cavaliers (2009, 2016) and the Milwaukee Bucks (2019). Cade Cunningham hopes to end that ignominous losing streak when they face the New York Knicks again in Game 2 on Monday.

The Pistons have a good chance of ending their playoff slump if they can cut down on their turnovers. Detroit should learn promptly from the loss about executing plays without rushing possessions. If they can do both in the rematch, they could finally break through.

About the author

Michael Macasero brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to his coverage of basketball at Sportskeeda with over 18 years of diverse work experience. This includes stints at Convergys, Interpace and RunRepeat.

Michael's background in English and Journalism has provided him with the analytical skills and precision necessary for creating content, and he is a lifelong fan of the Boston Celtics. His favorite players include legends like Larry Bird and Michael Jordan, modern stars like Tim Duncan, and Nikola Jokic, as well as emerging talent like Victor Wembanyama.

Michael respects Gregg Popovich, despite his contentious demeanor in interviews, and recognizes Popovich's genius in adapting his coaching style to maximize the talent on his roster over the years. Michael eagerly anticipates seeing how Popovich will structure the offense around emerging talent like Victor Wembanyama.

Understanding the story and details is crucial to Michael's reporting philosophy and he believes overlooking details, particularly when pressed for time, can lead to misunderstandings and inaccurate conclusions.

Aside from work, Michael's children are his hobbies, and he also likes to go running, swimming and weightlifting.

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Edited by Michael Macasero