The Detroit Pistons have been one of the NBA’s most resilient teams all season, and they have needed every bit of that resilience over the past two weeks. Their franchise cornerstone, Cade Cunningham, is sidelined at the worst possible time, yet the Pistons keep finding ways to win.
Will Cade Cunningham Play Tonight Against the Oklahoma City Thunder?
No, Cunningham will not be playing against the OKC Thunder.
Cunningham suffered a collapsed lung on March 17 during a game against the Washington Wizards and has not played since. He is set to be reevaluated this week, with reports suggesting he may not return until the playoffs, if at all this season.
Daniss Jenkins will again start at point guard in his place as the Pistons take on the 59-16 Thunder on Monday night at Paycom Center.
How Cunningham’s Injury Impacts the Pistons’ Season
The injury ended what had been an MVP-caliber season for Cunningham.
The 24-year-old was averaging 24.5 points, 9.9 assists, and 5.57 rebounds per game and had been the driving force behind the Pistons’ best regular season in two decades.
Having played only 61 games, he now falls short of the NBA’s 65-game threshold required for postseason award eligibility.
The NBPA responded with a direct statement calling for the rule to be abolished or reformed. “Cade Cunningham’s potential ineligibility for postseason awards after a career-defining season is a clear indictment of the 65-game rule and yet another example of why it must be abolished or reformed to create an exception for significant injuries,” the union said.
His agent, Jeff Schwartz, added that an exception should be made. “Cade has delivered a first-team All-NBA season. If he falls just short of an arbitrary games-played threshold due to legitimate injury, it should not disqualify him from recognition he has clearly earned over the course of the season,” Schwartz said.
Detroit Pistons Face the Thunder Shorthanded but Unbothered
Despite losing their star, the Pistons have gone 10-3 in games without Cunningham this season. It’s a remarkable testament to the depth and culture head coach J.B. Bickerstaff has built. They head into Monday’s game at 54-20, with a magic number of 4 to clinch the top seed in the Eastern Conference over the Boston Celtics.
The injury situation on Monday, however, is particularly brutal. In addition to Cunningham and Isaiah Stewart, who has missed nine straight games with a calf injury, Jalen Duren, Tobias Harris, and Duncan Robinson are all listed as doubtful, while Ausar Thompson is questionable.
The Pistons are effectively walking into a road game against the Thunder without their entire projected starting lineup.
There might be a strategic logic to the decision. Detroit hosts the Toronto Raptors on Tuesday, giving Bickerstaff reason to preserve his available players for a more winnable matchup the following night. Still, the Pistons have shown all season that their collective belief does not waver.
Bickerstaff said it best after a recent win, praising the team’s renewed defensive effort and collective belief.
With the playoffs approaching and Cunningham potentially set to return just in time, Detroit is playing the long game and doing it better than almost anyone expected.
