Pistons vs. Pacers NBA Cup: Cade Cunningham update, injuries and how to watch

The Detroit Pistons will take on the Indiana Pacers tonight on the road in their third game of the NBA Cup. 

The Pistons have yet to lose a cup game, but have still not punched their ticket to the knockout round, as the Bucks are also undefeated and Detroit doesn't have the point differential for a wild card spot. They still have a chance to have a homecourt game in the knockout stage, but let’s not get too far ahead of ourselves here, as the Pistons still have tall tasks ahead of them. 

Here are the key injuries, how to watch and some important numbers for the Pistons vs. Pacers in the NBA Cup. 

Pistons injuries vs. Pacers: Will Cade Cunningham play tonight? 

If the Pistons don’t have Cade Cunningham and Tobias Harris, their chances of winning diminish significantly, as we saw in the forgettable blowout loss to Memphis. 

Both players are listed as questionable tonight with hip injuries. Cade Cunningham came out and did the shootaround before the last game, and likely will again tonight, making this is gametime decision. 

Bobi Klintman is also out, but according to his Instagram story he is “getting close,” some hopefully he’ll be back again soon, as the Pistons could use more depth, size and shooting in their bench unit. 

The Pacers will be missing Ben Sheppard, Aaron Nesmith, Andrew Nembhard, Isaiah Jackson and James Wiseman, so they too will be shorthanded. 

How to watch Pistons vs. Pacers 

The 8:00 PM ET tip-off in Indiana will be televised on FanDuel Sports Network Detroit or you can listen on 97.1 FM The Ticket. 

You can find streaming options here if you do not have cable. 

Key numbers and matchups in Pistons vs. Pacers 

The Pistons have yet to beat a team in the central division, going 0-4 against their rivals, something that will have to change if they ever want to truly compete in the Eastern Conference. 

The Pacers are 7-2 at home and just 2-8 on the road, so the Pistons will have a challenge against one of the NBA’s better home teams. 

There will be two keys for the Pistons in this one, shutting down Tyrese Haliburton again and keeping Myles Turner in check. 

The Pistons did a great job on Haliburton in the last game, holding him in check on a poor shooting night, but Myles Turner made up the difference. 

The Pistons have had well-documented problems against stretch centers this season, so this is a tough matchup for Jalen Duren, who does not defend well on the perimeter. 

The Pistons might benefit from getting Duren involved early and taking it at Turner even though he is an excellent rim protector. Duren seems more engaged defensively when he gets touches on offense, not uncommon for a big man, so we may see him get some early touches and try to push in transition off rebounds, which he has been doing lately. 

Detroit will also need to get something from their bench, which has been struggling to score of late. Indiana won the bench battle 46-24 in the last game, so Detroit will need to hold their ground when their starters are off the floor.