Cade Cunningham has been everything the Detroit Pistons hoped he could be and more since the postseason began, even with his ongoing turnover problems that have proved costly at times.
The star guard showed up in Game 5 against the Cleveland Cavaliers in a major way, and his heroics brought life into the Motor City .
The only problem is Cunningham was truly the only Pistons player who showed up ready for this pivotal game in the series.
Beyond that, Detroit's Game 5 loss also made it crystal clear that if the Pistons ever hope to make it out of the East, they have to find Cunningham a scoring option that will make his life easier.
Pistons can't win a championship until Cunningham gets some help
Cunningham proved once again to be the driving force behind the Pistons offense, and considering he's been just that for J.B. Bickerstaff's squad throughout the entirety of the NBA Playoffs, it doesn't come as much of a surprise.
The 24-year-old set the tone early, and when the Cavs made their runs, the Pistons' leader calmed things down with his timely shot-making before things got out of hand again as they did in Game 4, with Cleveland posting a 23-0 run to flip the script entirely.
Still, Cunningham's 39 points on 13 for 27 shooting to go alongside his nine assists and seven rebounds weren't enough.
Cunningham has no reliable help, and until he does, Detroit doesn't have a realistic chance to make it out of the East, not this season or next.
Detroit could survive the Cavaliers, and if they do, it's safe to say it will be a major relief. The Pistons could also still choke the series away, and that alone could open a new can of worms.
Regardless, with a loaded New York Knicks roster patiently waiting, the Pistons will almost certainly not be able to survive with Cunningham facing off against a roster featuring offensive weapons 1-5.
Considering Cunningham is fighting for his life against Donovan Mitchell and James Harden, imagine how much will be on his plate if he faces off against Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges, and a defensive pest like Josh Hart when the lights are at their brightest.
Pistons have no reliable scorers outside of Cunningham
Behind Cunningham, the Pistons next top scorer was Daniss Jenkins, who got the spot start in favor of Duncan Robinson.
Behind him, Tobias Harris, who, while his resurgence has been a welcome surprise, is clearly not sustainable for the future.
At the end of Game 5, you saw firsthand just how important it is for Cunningham to have a reliable second option.
With a safe lead, Cleveland was able to storm back late in the fourth due to the fact that the Cavs were able to load up on Cunningham to make each possession tough on offense.
And while you're probably thinking every star has to deal with that, it's much easier when opposing defenses have to account for another threat that's not an inconsistent sixth man or an aging veteran.
All that to say, with it now clear that Jalen Duren cannot be the second option the team hoped he could be, the harsh reality is that until Trajan Langdon seriously finds an adequate running mate for Cunningham, there's no real chance the Pistons bring back a championship to the Motor City.
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