Pistons Veteran Makes Honest Assessment on Cade Cunningham vs Knicks

How did Cade Cunningham fare in his first playoff action against the Knicks?

Nov 8, 2024; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (2) and forward Tobias Harris (12) block out Atlanta Hawks forward Jalen Johnson (1) during the first half at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Reginek-Imagn Images | David Reginek-Imagn Images

Following a Game 1 loss against the New York Knicks on Saturday night, multiple members of the Detroit Pistons had a similar description for Cade Cunningham’s postseason debut.

The one-time All-Star’s game was good.

When the longtime veteran Tobias Harris spoke on Cunningham’s outing, he explained that while it was good, adjustments will be necessary heading into Game 2.

“I think there are some adjustments that myself and I just talked about that he could make out there,” Harris told reporters. “Overall, I thought his energy in terms of doing the right thing for the group is always in a pure position night after night.”

Cunningham typically leads the pack for the Pistons when it comes to scoring, but Harris took over in that department on Saturday, producing a team-high 25 points. Cunningham and Malik Beasley followed, each scoring at least 20 points.

You could get a sense that New York’s defensive attack bothered Cunningham and his shot. The veteran made under 40 percent of his 21 field goals. He finished the game with 21 points.

“We knew coming into the game that it was going to be a heavy emphasis on getting the ball out of his hands and making him take tough looks,” Harris added.

However, Harris noted that Cunningham’s value everywhere else still played a major part in helping the team when they were finding success against the Knicks through the first three quarters.

“My honest assessment is that I just know he’s going to get better game through game with more experience, and he’ll be able to look at the film and figure out ways he can improve for himself and our group,” Harris finished. “First game, I thought he did a great job out there for us as a leader of this team.”

The Pistons and the Knicks will be back on the floor for Game 2 on Monday night at Madison Square Garden.