Should we be concerned about Cade Cunningham and the Pistons in the postseason?

SAN ANTONIO — On multiple occasions in Thursday’s 121-106 loss to the Spurs, Cade Cunningham seemingly had nowhere to run and no room to breathe.

At every turn and every dribble, the Pistons star’s airspace was crowded, met with hands in his face and a body in front of him. First, it was Stephon Castle. Then it was Carter Bryant. Then it was both of them. And then, the rest copied and pasted. For 48 minutes, a black and silver shadow followed Cunningham around every inch of Frost Bank Center.

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The few times when Cunningham was somehow able to escape, momentarily avoiding pressure, his shot was either erased at the rim by Victor Wembanyama, stifled on the perimeter by Castle, or he threw the ball away. He finished with 26 points but took 26 shots to get there — along with four turnovers — with the bulk of his points coming in random outbursts like an impatient toddler.

At a micro level, San Antonio’s defensive clinic was a reminder of Cunningham’s recent shooting woes. In just three games in the month of March, with all three coming against playoff opponents, Cunningham has already missed 42 field-goal attempts. On a macro, perhaps more sinister, level, Detroit’s biggest fears were becoming more realized by the minute: the over-reliance on Cunningham as a Plan A without a viable Plan B.

“They’re a good defensive team,” Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff said following the game. “They got a lot of guys who can get up in you, put pressure on you and trust the fact that they’ve got that big behind them to protect. Of course, there are things we can do better. I always take responsibility for that — it’s my responsibility to help create space and opportunities for them. We’ll watch the film, continue to work at it and get better from it.”

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If there’s any issue to take with a 45-16 team that suffered just its third losing streak of the season, it’s the problem of the rest of the pack. On paper, Detroit’s current net rating paints a similar profile to the ’05 Spurs and the ’09 and ’20 Lakers, all of which finished the season hoisting the Larry…

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Author : Kelly Iko

Publish date : 2026-03-06 07:19:00

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