Cade Cunningham Has a Message for Pistons Fans Ahead of Game 7

The Pistons' guard expects Little Caesars Arena to be “a madhouse” for Game 7 on Sunday.

May 13, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (2) celebrates in the second half against the Cleveland Cavaliers during game five of the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

For the first time in a long time, Detroit basketball feels fully alive again. And it's not just because the Pistons forced a Game 7 with a commanding 115-94 win in a very hostile environment in Cleveland.

There is a real sense of belief growing within this group now, and you could hear it in Cade Cunningham’s voice afterward, in the excitement and anticipation he carries into tomorrow night.

“It’s going to be a lot of energy,” Cunningham said. “It’s going to be a madhouse in there.”

And according to Cunningham, the fans are going to play a role in it too. “The crowd is going to come to play as well,” Cunningham said. “They want to insert themselves in the game.”

Detroit earned the right to expect chaos back home.

The Pistons looked tougher, deeper and more connected than the Cavaliers for long stretches of Game 6, especially after halftime when Detroit completely flipped the game defensively. Cleveland shot under 30 percent in the second half as the Pistons swarmed ball handlers, closed passing lanes and attacked every possession with desperation.

“Just our will,” Cunningham said. “Our aggression and not wanting to lose.”

That mindset has become part of Detroit’s identity during this playoff run. Cunningham spoke multiple times afterward about togetherness and how the team responds when pressure rises instead of falling apart under it.

“We stick together,” Cunningham said. “When things get ugly or whatever, we come together, we talk, we get back in the moment and then we move forward from there.”

Detroit’s roster construction suddenly looks dangerous in a playoff setting. Cunningham finished with 21 points and eight assists while knocking down five three-pointers. He controlled the pace without forcing things and looked increasingly comfortable balancing scoring with creating opportunities for others.

Jalen Duren just keeps elevating his game as the stakes rise.

Duren finished with 15 points and 11 rebounds, repeatedly attacking Cleveland’s interior defense and bringing physicality that changed the energy of the game.

“He’s just a mad man,” Cunningham said. “He wants to get the job done every time.”

Detroit’s bench again made a major difference. Paul Reed scored 17 points. Duncan Robinson returned and immediately spaced the floor with four made threes. Every time Cleveland seemed ready to make a push, another Pistons role player answered.

“That’s the beauty of this roster,” Cunningham said. “We got a lot of guys that play hard, play to win.”

Now the series heads back to Detroit for a winner take all Game 7, and suddenly the pressure has shifted.

The Pistons are no longer just a fun young team happy to be here. For a franchise and fan base starving for a moment like this, Cunningham might be underselling what awaits Sunday night.