Detroit Pistons are real threat and NBA is taking notice: 'Energy's just been different

Detroit Pistons are real threat and NBA is taking notice: ‘Energy’s just been different

Posted by Admin January 15, 2025 NBA

Spread the love

The Detroit Pistons could only go up after suffering one of the worst seasons in sports history last year.

No one could’ve predicted the degree that they’ve turned things around, though.

The Pistons are 10-2 overall since Dec. 21, and are two games over .500 (21-19) ahead of the midway point of the season, which will be Thursday when they host the Indiana Pacers. Only four teams have tallied double-digit wins in that stretch, and the other three — the Oklahoma City Thunder, Cleveland Cavaliers and Denver Nuggets — are all championship contenders.

It’s been a team-wide effort, led by Cade Cunningham. The fourth-year guard and former No. 1 pick is performing like an All-Star, averaging 24.5 points, 6.6 rebounds and 9.4 assists per game while shooting 38.2% from 3.

Cunningham joined “NBA Today” on ESPN Wednesday, a sign that the NBA community is starting to notice the Pistons surge, and discussed his season and the Pistons’ improvement. He acknowledged he’s having the most fun he’s had in his career “by far.”

“I’ve won more games this year than I have probably every other season already, and we’re halfway through the year.

“It’s all about the details,” he said. “There were a lot of times last year where the ball just didn’t bounce our way because we didn’t execute the small things. But this year, I think there’s a different attention-to-detail, a different intention in how we go out and our mindset going into each game.

“Winning is obviously what we play the game for, so every night we’re going out to compete to win. But sticking to the game plan, more than anything.”

Cunningham credited the team’s improved chemistry to the addition of veterans Tobias Harris, Malik Beasley and Tim Hardaway Jr., who have provided spacing on the floor while stabilizing the team in the locker room.

“It’s great,” Cunningham said. “We got some great vets to come in this year and the energy’s just been different having guys with experience that know how to win games to come help the young core that we had that was just trying to figure it out.

“It’s been a lot of fun. I think we just have a natural blend and natural chemistry between each other and it’s showing on the court more and more as we play together.”

He’s risen to the forefront of the All-Star conversation as the Pistons have stacked wins. Cunningham is coming off of two of his best performances, scoring 36 to lead the Pistons over the Knicks in Madison Square Garden on Monday and tallying a triple-double (23 points, 17 assists, 10 rebounds) in a home win over the Toronto Raptors.

“I definitely feel like (an All-Star), for sure,” he said. “I’m going to get everything I want as long as we keep winning games, so it’s halfway through the year and I want to keep winning games, a playoff series, and I think everything else will set out how it’s supposed to.”