If you asked any fan of the Detroit Pistons what their worst-case scenario for the season was, it would likely be “Cade Cunningham getting hurt.”
Which is why there was an audible gasp from Detroit when Cunningham hit the floor hard against the Hornets and had to leave the game before overtime, but there was hope it was just precautionary.
That hope is starting to dwindle after it was announced Cunningham would miss tonight’s game against the Magic with a bruised hip joint, which sounds painful.
He was already going through back spasms, so the optimistic among us will just view this as a way for Cade to get a couple of much-needed days off, but those of us who have been following the Pistons for a while know there is a potentially darker timeline (isn’t there always?).
If Cade has to miss a game or two, it’s no big deal, as the Eastern Conference is awful and the Pistons are in the thick of its mediocre midsection, so we aren’t in the nightmare scenario with Cade Cunningham yet.
We’ll know we’re there if/when we get our first “Cade will be reevaluated in two weeks post,” at which point I will officially start writing mock drafts.
Pistons injuries vs. Magic : Will Ausar Thompson make his debut?
Cade Cunningham will be out tonight against the Magic, but the good news is that Ausar Thompson has been upgraded to questionable and could make his debut tonight.
He’d be a welcome addition, especially with Cade out, as the Pistons need someone else who can create with the ball and someone to stop the bleeding from the 3-point line defensively.
The Magic will also be without their star, as Paolo Banchero is out, but they haven’t missed a beat without him, as Franz Wagner has stepped up and is playing like an All-Star. I’d still take Cade over anyone else from his draft class on talent alone, but if you factor in games played, Wagner might go #1 in a re-draft.
Wagner has averaged 25.4 points, 6.3 assists and 6.2 rebounds since Banchero has been out, so he will be the focal point for the Pistons.
Wendell Carter Jr. will also be out for the Magic, which I’d like to think would portend a big game for Jalen Duren, but he was a non-factor against Charlotte and they didn’t even have a center, while the Magic still have two good ones in Mo Wagner and Jonathan Isaac.
Pistons starting lineup without Cade Cunningham
I am guessing Ausar Thompson won’t play tonight and will make his debut Monday at home against the Raptors instead.
So, who will start for Cade Cunningham? Here’s what we are likely to see:
-Jaden Ivey
-Malik Beasley
-Tim Hardaway Jr.
-Tobias Harris
-Jalen Duren
We are sure to get a healthy dose of Marcus Sasser and Wendell Moore Jr. as well, so taking care of the ball is going to be challenging for the Pistons, as they don’t really have a point guard on the roster without Cade.
This could force more collective ball movement, which will hopefully lead to a ton of 3-point shots tonight, as the Magic don’t shoot many and this could be one area where the Pistons have an advantage.
The Magic are a smart, disciplined team that doesn’t make a ton of mistakes. They won’t beat themselves, so for the Pistons to have a chance with Cade out they have to take care of the ball and handily win the 3-point battle.
How to watch Pistons vs. Magic
The 7:00 PM ET tip-off in Orlando will be aired on FanDuel Sports Network Detroit or you can listen on ALT 98.7.
You can find all of your streaming options here.
This is a game the Pistons aren’t supposed to win, so they should play loose, fast and try to fill it up from long range against the NBA’s stingiest defense.