After a couple down games, Cade Cunningham bounced back in a big way to dominate the Magic. He led the Pistons to a home win with 30 points and 10 assists. Despite frustration with the officiating, Cade persisted for an incredible showing and took over in the second half to put the game out of reach. This game put him back on the national radar and established his place in the hierarchy of young players.
Cade Cunningham asserts himself in resounding fashion
The matchup between the Pistons and Magic was hotly anticipated for its future implications. These are two teams that will likely vie for Eastern Conference contention for years to come. And Cade had a direct rival in Paolo Banchero lining up on the other side of the court. Setting the tone in this game was important for the Pistons to regain momentum and for Cade to prove his status over Paolo.
Cade started the game slow and had just 11 points at halftime before turning it up in the second half. Once again, he was able to show his clutch gene by rising to the occasion when the lights shined brightest. Cade is averaging 10 points per game in just the fourth quarter of games this season, and he matched that amount again tonight.
His scoring was dominant despite his continued slump from downtown. Cade made just 1 out of 7 three-point attempts, but he still racked up his 30 points with just 24 shot attempts. Cade was not getting foul calls throughout the game, but got to the line with multiple and-ones. Cade dominated inside the arc and scored 11 baskets in the paint. Once his three ball does get going, Cade will be a problem for the league at large.
Despite facing a tough and physical Magic defense, Cade showed that no one can contain him when he's got it going. His combination of size, ball-handling and touch were impossible for the Magic to handle, regardless of which defender they threw at him.
And Cade's scoring wasn't his only strength. His playmaking was incredible as usual, evidenced by his 10 assists. But the pleasant surprise there was his ball security; for the first time in a while, Cade totaled zero turnovers. He's been one of the league leaders in turnovers for years, so this performance was a promising sign for potentially turning a new leaf.
Cade's work on the defensive end shouldn't be forgotten either. He made offense easier for himself and his teammates by creating plays on defense, finishing with 3 steals and 3 blocks. This included a highlight chasedown block of Jalen Suggs at the rim that got the whole team fired up. When Cade is strongly contributing on both ends of the floor, there are few players better than him in the entire NBA.