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

Cade Cunningham and OG Anunoby have been at the forefront of the first round playoff series between the Detroit Pistons and New York Knicks. As the series heads to Detroit for Game 3, how each player changes their approach becomes even more important.

While the Knicks have a variety of perimeter defenders to throw at the Pistons' All-Star, Anunoby has been their go-to defender. Josh Hart and Mikal Bridges have taken their cracks at guarding Cunningham, but their lack of size and strength has made it too easy for Cunningham to lower his shoulder and attack the basket. From a purely physical standpoint, OG Anunoby is their best chance.

On the other side of the matchup, Cade Cunningham is the most important player on the Pistons' roster and the driving force behind their offense. His ability to create for himself has kept Detroit close in the first two games of the series, including a 33 point performance in Game 2. One thing is certain, though; without him, the Pistons would be hard-pressed to keep things close.

OG Anunoby v. Cade Cunningham: Importance of 3-pointers

Cade Cunningham has been the leader for the Detroit Piston's offense through the first two games of the series, but OG Anunoby has shut down one key part of the young star's offense. Through two games, Cunningham has gone 2-8 from three-point range, far below his season average of 35.6%. Anunoby has made it a point to run Cunningham off the three-point line so far.

Unfortunately for Anunoby, the back line defense behind him has done a poor job protecting the rim, allowing Cunningham to dominate from the mid-range area and spread the ball out to his shooters. The Pistons guard has also lived at the free throw line so far, shooting 17 shots at the foul line in just two games.

Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau has been adamant about taking space away from Cade Cunningham on the perimeter. However, J.B. Bickerstaff has done a good job of manufacturing switches for his guard that gets Anunoby off of him. Cunningham has taken things from there, leaving the New York Knicks looking for a different answer before falling behind in the series.

Cade Cunningham v. OG Anunoby: Head-to-head record

Cade Cunningham and OG Anunoby have faced off just eight times in their careers, with Cunningham coming out on top five times in the matchup. However, the pair have split the first two games of their first playoff series. Despite a hot start to the postseason for Cunningham, Anunoby has had as much success against the young star as anyone else in the NBA.

Cunningham presents a multitude of problems for the point-of-attack defenders who draw the assignment against him each night. His ball-handling and playmaking ability in addition to his talent as a scorer makes him almost impossible to contain with just one player. While Anunoby is one of the better perimeter defenders in the Eastern Conference, he needs some help.

Cade Cunningham has taken advantage of the fact that the Knicks lack a true rim protector so far in the series, attacking Karl-Anthony Towns once he gets around Anunoby on his drives. However, Thibodeau might consider collapsing his defense in on Cunnigham to force him to give up the ball earlier in possessions. In their Game 1 win, the Knicks held Cunningham to 25 points, but he dished 12 assists.

Taking down Cunningham and the Pistons has proven to be a much tougher task than the Knicks expected before the series began, but the matchup might come down to how well New York can limit the Pistons' scoring outside of the young star.

Regardless of what the strategy ends up being for the Knicks, the matchup between OG Anunoby and Cade Cunningham will go a long way in deciding which team wins Game 3 and puts themselves in the driver's seat in the series.