Jalen Brunson Praises Detroit Pistons Star Ahead of Playoff Showdown

Knicks guard gives high praise to Cade Cunningham's growth.

Apr 10, 2025; Detroit, Michigan, USA; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) defends against Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (2) during the second half at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Reginek-Imagn Images | David Reginek-Imagn Images

In the midst of their record-setting turnaround this season, the Detroit Pistons find themselves in the postseason for the first time since 2019. Ahead of their first-round showdown, one star player from the opposing side tipped his cap to the team's standout performer.

To kick off the playoffs, the Pistons will head to New York to square off against the Knicks. Among the prominent players they'll look to contain is All-Star guard Jalen Brunson.

Since joining the Knicks in free agency back in 2022, Brunson has emerged as one of the top point guards in the league. He put together another All-NBA-level campaign this season, averaging 26.0 PPG, 2.9 RPG, and 7.3 APG in the regular season. Though he missed some time to close out the year due to an ankle injury, the star guard seems ready to lead the charge for New York in the postseason.

In this series, the point guard battle is one thing everyone is going to be focused on. Cade Cunningham put together a breakout campaign for the Pistons this year, establishing himself as a star-level talent in the NBA.

During a recent episode of his Roommates Show podcast, Brunson and Knicks forward Josh Hart touched on their upcoming series with the Pistons. While talking about Detroit, the All-Star guard shined a light on Cunningham's growth since being drafted No. 1 overall.

"Obviously you have Cade," Brunson said. "He's been great each year he's gotten better and better and this year getting his first All-Star. He's been playing phenomenal."

Jalen Brunson & Josh Hart Preview Matchup With The Pistons 🔵🔴 #detroitbasketball

-via @Roommates__Show pic.twitter.com/sHa6IesXZw

— Downtown Deuce (@DowntownDeuce) April 18, 2025

Brunson and Cunningham find themselves in very different situations heading into this series. The former is gearing up for what he hopes is a deep run, while the latter is aiming to prove he can maintain his heightened play under the bright lights of the playoffs.

These star guards will clash in the postseason for the first time on Saturday night, with Game 1 tipping off at 6:00 pm Eastern Time.