Want to Win A Close Game With The Pistons? Get The Ball To Cade.

The late-game antics of Cunningham and giving credit where credit is due

After years of languishing as the de-facto worst team in the NBA, the Detroit Pistons are now simply in sub-par territory. Key young pieces like Jaden Ivey and Jalen Duren look more mature in their games, while veterans like Tobias Harris and Tim Hardaway Jr. have, if nothing else, brought some “adult in the room” vibes to the squad. They still aren’t good, but there’s improvements here to be happy about.

That, in and of itself, should feel like a success — unfortunately, it also feels like they could be so much more if not for a few bad strokes of luck. More than 60% of the team’s games have been decided in the clutch (5 minutes or less, within 5 points), yet the team has the 2nd worst plus-minus in clutch situations — and somehow, that’s still made them a team that has a 40%+ win rate in the clutch.

In tight moments, it’s often the little things that make the biggest difference. So where does the improvement need to come from most when the game gets down to the wire? Ironically, it’s going to have to be from the Pistons’ best player: Cade Cunningham.