Schroder Jabs at Cunningham: “Not Answering Me Now?”
Without Mitchell, Dennis Schroder leads Cleveland and takes a playful shot at former teammate and MVP candidate Cade Cunningham
Some games are worth double. In the standings, sure. But also in pride. The Cleveland Cavaliers’ win over the Detroit Pistons (113-109) falls into both categories – and it carries the technical and verbal signature of Dennis Schroder.
Facing his former team, Schroder sparked the matchup with sharp, ironic trash talk aimed at Cade Cunningham.
Don’t talk to me now, I tried calling you and you didn’t answer the phone. Now that they’re chanting MVP for you, you don’t pick up anymore, huh?
Dennis Schroder
Lighthearted tones in a game that felt anything but ordinary. With Donovan Mitchell out, Schroder took responsibility for running the Cavs’ offense (finishing with 15 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists) while also delivering on the other end, guarding his former teammate – now among the leading MVP candidates.
Cunningham finished with 10 points on 4-of-16 shooting, bottled up throughout the night. It wasn’t just about the numbers. It was about the tone.
Cleveland knocked off the top team in the East by showing mental toughness, controlled tempo and poise in closing time. Detroit remains atop the Conference, but the message from the Cavs was loud: they can compete even without their top scorer.
Cleveland now sits at 39-24, fourth in the East, with a looming test against Boston. For Schröder, it was a quiet revenge game – sealed with a few jokes, a few defensive stops, and a win that meant more than the final score suggests.