When the Detroit Pistons have their backs against the wall, Cade Cunningham takes over. It's been the proven trend in recent years, as Cunningham has become one of the NBA's Kings of the Fourth Quarter. Thankfully, that success is carrying into the 2026-27 season.
The latest example of Cunningham's dominance in the final frame of regulation arrived on Oct. 28 when he scored 10 points in the fourth quarter alone to lead the Pistons to a 97-89 win over the Charlotte Hornets.
Cunningham finished the win over Charlotte with 30 points, seven assists, five rebounds, and two steals on 10-of-22 shooting from the field. He'd shot just 6-of-17 from the floor through the first three quarters, but did what he does best: Stepped up when the Pistons needed to slam the door shut.
Cunningham ultimately scored 10 of the Pistons' 21 fourth-quarter points and ensured that the team would improve to 4-1 on the season and 2-0 at home.
With Jalen Duren missing a third consecutive game after playing just 10 minutes during his second appearance, Cunningham rising to the occasion couldn't have come at a better time. He certainly wasn't the only player on the team who stepped up, but his success was transformational.
It's the comforting reality of the Pistons' championship ambitions, as they have the rare and invaluable luxury of a franchise player who lives for the biggest moment.
Cade Cunningham is captain clutch when the Pistons need him most
Cunningham's leap to All-NBA status in 2025-26 was built heavily on his elite play during the fourth quarter. He ranked in the top 10 in the NBA in points per fourth quarter at 6.7 and did so on 46.9 percent shooting. Beyond the numbers, he simply made the right plays in the biggest moments.
For those who don't want to look past statistics, Cunningham shot 50.0 percent in what NBA.com defines as clutch situations.
It's the epitome of why the Pistons feel so comfortable late in games. Every franchise player is trusted to step up with the game on the line, but few do so as consistently as Cunningham. That's quite the boon for any team, let alone an elite defensive team.
With Detroit already committed to defending from start to finish, Cunningham's clutch scoring is all the more influential on the outcome of games.
Clearly, the Pistons need to find a way to take pressure off of Cunningham from an overall shot-creation perspective. Detroit's identity is built around its ability to defend at an elite level, however, and that will keep them in most games that they play—and is why they won 60 games a season ago.
It's by no means an excuse to not improve in areas of weakness, but the Pistons have a special strength to fall back on with Cunningham continuing to dominate the end of games.
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