Pistons Star Gets Honest About Critical Concern After Loss vs Heat

Cade Cunningham acknowledged his turnover concerns after the Pistons' loss against the Miami Heat.

Mar 17, 2024; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (2) dribbles in the second half against the Miami Heat at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

Monday night marked another loss for the Detroit Pistons. This time, Cade Cunningham and his team came up short against the Miami Heat on the road.

The fourth matchup of the season had a similar feeling to the first three. The Pistons competed hard, and boosted their chances of coming away victorious throughout the first three quarters. Then, when the fourth quarter approaches, they struggle to close the game out on top.

That was the case in Miami on Monday night. Going into the final quarter, the Pistons possessed a one-point lead. In the final 12 minutes, they made just 27 percent of their shots. Getting outscored 28-19, the Pistons left South Beach with a 106-98 loss.

After the game, Cade Cunningham pointed to two key factors as a reason behind the fourth-straight loss. One is the team’s inability to consistently hit shots down the stretch. The other is the turnover woes he’s dealt with early on.

Oct 23, 2024; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (2) is defended by Indiana Pacers forward Aaron Nesmith (23) in the first half at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

Credit where it’s due, Cunningham acknowledged Miami’s blitzing effort to disrupt his rhythm on offense. Still, the veteran guard knows he simply has to find ways to be better if the Pistons want to avoid going down a similar path as last season.

“I just got to be better about putting my teammates in the right spots and getting them the ball on time, on target, to make sure they have the best opportunity to finish plays and stuff,” Cunningham told reporters. “I just gotta be sharper with that. I gotta be sharper with the ball. The team trusts me with the ball for all the games.”

On Monday night, Cunningham was responsible for five of his team’s 17 turnovers. Against the Heat, the Pistons lost the turnover battle 17-12. Since the Pistons’ opener against the Indiana Pacers, Cunningham has turned the ball over at least five times per game. His turnover rate is the highest it’s been since his rookie season.

“Having as many turnovers as I’ve had to start this year, it’s hard to win games like that,” Cunningham admitted. “I put a lot of that on me. Just setting my team up and taking care of the ball and making the most out of my responsibility.”

Detroit’s winless start to the year can’t be totally pinned on Cunningham, but his turnovers have surely been a contributor to the early struggles. Fortunately, the star guard is aware of that and has plenty of time to work on a fix moving forward.