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Cade Cunningham Reacts to First Detroit Playoff Win Since 2008

Cade Cunningham and the Detroit Pistons brought a playoff win to the city.
Justin Grasso|
Apr 21, 2025; New York, New York, USA; Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (2) reacts during the third quarter of game two of the first round of the 2024 NBA Playoffs against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
Apr 21, 2025; New York, New York, USA; Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (2) reacts during the third quarter of game two of the first round of the 2024 NBA Playoffs against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

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Detroit PistonsNew York Knicks

When the Detroit Pistons drafted Cade Cunningham with the No. 1 overall pick in 2021, they hoped that the Oklahoma State product could deliver winning results to the franchise for years to come.

It was a rocky start. After all, Cunningham was a product of a rebuild. When he landed in Detroit, he was just the first piece to the puzzle. After several seasons of plenty of losing, the Pistons have finally turned things around.

Detroit went from winning just 14 games last year to exceeding 40 wins in 2024-2025. With a 44-38 record, the Pistons clinched the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference. In Game 1 of their first-round series against the New York Knicks, the Pistons coughed up a late lead by allowing the Knicks to have a 40-point fourth quarter.

Despite falling short in Game 1, the Pistons didn’t allow the moment to get too big for them. In Game 2, the Pistons got back on track and collected their first playoff win in over 15 years. After the game, Cade Cunningham reacted to the accomplishment.

“It’s a great feeling,” he told reporters. “It feels good to represent the city like we did tonight. It’s something that the city has been waiting on for a long time. We feel good about it and we’re ready to get back to the crib and perform in front of them.”

Cunningham led the Pistons with 33 points on 11-21 shooting from the field and 10-12 shooting from the charity stripe on Monday.

Along with his scoring, Cunningham came down with 12 rebounds and dished out three assists, and snatched two steals.

As good as the Pistons feel after picking up a win on the road at Madison Square Garden, they can’t get too comfortable. There’s still plenty of basketball left to be played.

On Thursday, the series continues with the Pistons hosting the Knicks at Little Caesars Arena. The Pistons will be searching for a 2-1 lead.

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Justin Grasso
JUSTIN GRASSO

Justin Grasso was a credentialed writer and publisher covering the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated’s 76ers On SI Network. Grasso got his start in sports media in 2016 with FantasyPros, working the news desk, providing game-by-game player analysis and updates on the Portland Trail Blazers and the Golden State Warriors. By 2017, he joined FanSided’s Philadelphia Eagles site as a staff writer. After spending one season covering the Eagles as a staff writer, Grasso was promoted to become the site’s Co-Editor. For the next two NFL seasons, he covered the Eagles closely before broadening his NFL coverage. For a brief stint, Grasso covered the NFL on a national basis after joining Heavy.com as an NFL news desk writer. In 2019, Grasso joined the 76ers' beat on a part-time basis, stepping into a role with South Jersey’s 97.3 ESPN. Ahead of the 2019-2020 NBA season, he concluded a three-year stint covering the Eagles and joined the Sixers beat full-time. Grasso has covered the 76ers exclusively since then for Sports Illustrated. He is a member of the Pro Basketball Writers Association. Twitter: @JGrasso_ Instagram: @JGrassoMedia

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