Pistons news: Overcoming Monty, Cade Cunningham's brilliance and baffling buyouts

The Detroit Pistons were buoyed by righteous indignation as they entered Chicago just a night after being robbed of a victory against the New York Knicks. 

But it would take more than rage to beat the Bulls on the road, as the team needed better execution from both players and their coach and they at least got half of that equation. 

Cade Cunningham was brilliant once again, racking up 26 points on 9-of-13 shooting, controlling the game and looking like the best player on the floor as he did against the Knicks. 

But this isn’t anything new, over his last 23 games, Cade Cunningham has averaged 24 points, 7.7 assists and 4.4 rebounds while shooting 50.6 percent from the floor and 41.9 percent from 3-point range. He’s cut down his turnovers to just under three per game and is playing like an All-Star. 

The Cade haters who were in my mentions and inbox telling me he needed to be traded have gone away, a welcome deletion from my life. Also not hearing much from the “Cade isn’t clutch!” folks after he dominated the 4th quarter against the Bulls and sealed the game. I don’t care if people have legitimate criticisms of the Pistons’ best player, but how about also celebrating when he plays well? End of rant. 

The Pistons’ entire starting lineup was great last night, setting the tone defensively with seven blocks, including three from Jalen Duren, and holding the Bulls to just 95 points. The defensive intensity was raised with Isaiah Stewart back, though the Pistons were helped by the Bulls, who hit just 2-of-29 shots from long range. Woof. 

Detroit definitely wasn’t helped by their coach, who once again went back to his all-bench lineups and nearly cost the Pistons the game. 

The Detroit Pistons have to overcome coach Monty Williams 

The Pistons are up against it, as most nights they are taking on an opponent, the referees and their own coach. 

Even though he has taken endless criticism for it and there is heaps of quantifiable data that it HAS NEVER WORKED, Williams continues to go back to his all-bench units, and he did it again last night. 

The Pistons were up 17-16 late in the 1st quarter when Monty “Destroyer of Leads” Williams made his final swap to get an all-bench lineup on the floor. The Bulls promptly went on a big run and got up to an 11-point lead before Monty mercifully pulled the plug on this horrible idea with around 9:35 left in the second quarter with the Bulls leading 34-25, the 10-point swing we get every time he does this. 

Caps lock engaged: HAS THIS MAN LOST HIS MIND? HOW CAN A SEASONED NBA COACH NOT SEE WHAT IS OBVIOUS TO ANY KNUCKLEHEAD ON TWITTER? CAN WE GET THE AUTHORITIES INVOLVED? 

Pistons make a baffling cut of Mike Muscala 

Just after the game, it was announced that the Pistons had come to a buyout agreement with veteran center Mike Muscala: 

I’m going to have more on this later, so I don’t want to step on my own toes, but this whole situation was handled horribly from the start and is yet another example of Troy Weaver’s baffling asset management. 

It’s a move on the fringes, and it’s not like Muscala is good, but my god, the amount of assets (even mediocre ones) given up in the wake of Marvin Bagley III is truly astounding. 

Check back later for the full rant about the MBIII situation and its true cost to the team.