Detroit Pistons: 3 things fans should be thankful for
By Jacob Warfle
The holiday season brings out the best in all of us. During this time we take time to reflect on the blessings in our lives and all that we hold dear. Whether it be our young face of the franchise, our “bad boy’ center, or even the cool new red alternates (finally), Detroit Pistons fans have a lot to be thankful for.
Simply put, there is a lot going on right now to get Pistons’ fans into the holiday spirit.
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Despite the eventful loss to the Lakers, and the 4th quarter collapse vs. the Heat, the Pistons are only 4.5 games out of the play-in tournament. With a rocky start to the season, it’s encouraging that the team is still within a stones throw of the playoffs.
On the other hand, if things go south quickly, the Pistons should find themselves with great odds to land another top pick (This is called the elegant tank).
As some young players begin to settle in, there are some signs of life with great individual performances. Killian Hayes has begun to right the ship on his three point shooting and has recorded multiple steals in numerous games before having to sit with a thumb injury. Saddiq Bey continues to show breakout scoring potential and Isaiah Stewart has been a defensive menace the last couple of weeks.
It was bleak for a while, but things are on the up swing. Out of all of the good tidings around the team right now, here are the top three things to be thankful for.
Detroit Pistons: #1 – Lottery luck & Cade Cunningham
As if there was any other option at the top- your number 1 overall draft pick Cade Cunningham (that will never get old).
The narrative on Cunningham this season has been a predictable one. After missing the first couple weeks of the season, Cunningham came in and underwhelmed in his first few games.
Those who watched the games knew that Cade was still having a big impact by making winning plays, it was just the cold shooting that made his numbers look the way they did.
Things have turned around in a hurry. With a couple 20 point games and the youngest triple double in franchise history, we know that the Pistons have a real star in the making.
Cunningham’s impact cannot be overstated. The Pistons have yet to win a game that Cade hasn’t played in and are 4-7 in games he does.
On the nights that his shots fall, the Pistons look even more complete.
Through 12 games played, Cade has per game averages of 13.4 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 4.8 assists. He’s also averaging 1.3 steals per game.
These numbers should only rise as Cade gets more comfortable shooting and attacking the rim in the NBA. He is only attempting about two free throws per game, which should go up as he gets more comfortable.
It seems as though the funny adage “eye test” has been all over the sports world as of late. And for good reason. Numbers only paint part of the picture, nothing can quite replicate watching the events take place.
When it comes to the “eye test”, Cade Cunningham performs more like a multi-year all-star than a 20-year-old rookie. He leads with confidence and his teammates respond. He attacks with pace and more control than just about anyone we’ve seen as his age (aside from Luka Doncic of course).
No matter how we slice it, the Pistons got “one“ in Cade. He’s the type of player you blow it all up for and the type the player you build it back up around.