Cade Cunningham following in LeBron James’ footsteps: “He’s extraordinary”
Cade Cunningham has entered an exclusive club in NBA history: only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, LeBron James, and Anthony Davis posted better numbers through their first 15 playoff games
The Detroit Pistons keep winning. After a 107-97 Game 2 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers, J.B. Bickerstaff’s team now holds a 2-0 lead in the series, extending its postseason winning streak to five straight games – something Detroit hadn’t done since 2008.
Even with the team rolling, Cade Cunningham wants no part of any talk about relaxing. Detroit’s first-round comeback against Orlando, when the Pistons trailed 3-1 in the series, is still fresh in everyone’s mind and left a clear lesson inside the locker room.
It taught us how thin the line is between winning and losing. Being up 2-0 means nothing if you lose your focus. Now we’re going to Cleveland, with their crowd and a lot more energy. We have to stay locked in
Cade Cunningham
Once again in Game 2, the Oklahoma State product made the difference. Cunningham finished with 25 points and 10 assists, taking over when it mattered most. After a relatively quiet first half, Detroit’s No. 2 came alive in the fourth quarter with 12 points, including the step-back three that essentially sealed the game with just over two minutes left.
The numbers show just how impactful he has been this postseason: Cunningham has scored at least 20 points in each of his first 15 career playoff games. Ahead of him in NBA history are only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, LeBron James, and Anthony Davis.
During Detroit’s winning streak, he is averaging:
- 31.4 points per game
- 7.4 assists
- 55.2% from three-point range
Numbers worthy of a true franchise player.
Head coach J.B. Bickerstaff also didn’t hide his admiration for Cade.
Cade is simply extraordinary. He’s the closer, the killer, everything you want in a leader. In the fourth quarter, he always gives you his best
J.B. Bickerstaff
The stats would say the Pistons are heavy favorites: in NBA history, teams that go up 2-0 in a best-of-seven series advance 92% of the time. Detroit is also 12-1 in playoff series after taking a 2-0 lead.
But inside the locker room, no one wants to hear about percentages or history.
We were down 3-1 just last series. We’re going to keep fighting. We still feel like our backs are against the wall. A lot of people still don’t believe in us, and we still have something to prove… the job isn’t finished
Daniss Jenkins
Detroit took Game 2 and now leads the series 2-0, but the mood inside the locker room hasn’t changed: heads down and keep pushing. The advantage is there, but these Pistons clearly have no interest in talking about comfort or coasting.