On February 25th, the Detroit Pistons battled the OKC Thunder in a meeting of the league’s first-place teams. After once again coming up big for his team in a time of need, Cade Cunningham received endless praise for delivering in the guts of the game.
Led by dominant outings from their All-Star duo, Detroit was able to take down the defending champs by a final score of 124-116. Things could have gone either way in the final minutes, with Cunningham taking matters into his own hands to make sure the Pistons came away victorious.
Cunningham came alive in the fourth quarter, recording 13 of his 29 points in this stretch. The Thunder had little success slowing down the star guard, as he converted four of his six shot attempts and went a perfect 4-for-4 from the free-throw line.
While on “NBA Today” on February 26th, Kendrick Perkins gave his thoughts on Cunningham’s outing against the Thunder. He had nothing but glowing praise for his continued ability to come up big in the clutch.
“After coming from his worst game of the year against the San Antonio Spurs, he bounced back in great fashion. Especially in the clutch,” Perkins said. “When it comes to being one of the best clutch players in the game, Cade Cunningham is that dude.”
Cade Cunningham Reflects on Drawing Inspiration From LeBron James
When it comes to Cunningham’s game, many zero in on his high-level scoring and playmaking. However, the former No. 1 pick has grown into a two-way superstar in recent years. His pride on the defensive was on full display against the Thunder, notching three blocks.
While speaking with the media postgame, Cunningham was asked about his shot-blocking abilities. He admits his growth as a chase-down artist stems from his adoration of LA Lakers star LeBron James.
“I’ve always enjoyed running stuff down and getting blocks,” Cunningham told reporters. “It’s always been something I’ve enjoyed. I watched a lot of LeBron growing up.”
Along with averaging a career-high 1.0 blocks per game, Cunningham is closing in on surpassing his total blocks from last season (53).
Cade Cunningham Joins Exclusive Company With Dominant All-Around Performance
The Pistons have drastically altered the trajectory of the franchise in the last two years, and Cunningham has been a driving force in their success. Their rapid rise up the standings would not have been possible without him developing into an all-around star.
Between his scoring, playmaking, and defense, Cunningham impacts the game in a variety of ways on a nightly basis. This season, few players have filled up the box score similar to him. Cunningham’s imprint on the game is so strong that it’s landed him in exclusive company with an array of all-time greats.
With his performance against the Thunder, Cunningham has become just the fourth player in history to record at least 29 points, five rebounds, 13 assists, three steals, and three blocks in one game. The others to do so are Magic Johnson, LeBron, and fellow Lakers star Luka Doncic.
Cade Cunningham – Tonight Luka Doncic – 12/25/2023 LeBron James – 3/12/2009 Magic Johnson – 4/8/1983
That’s it.
Still with a commanding lead in the Eastern Conference standings, Cunningham and the Pistons will look to keep building momentum as they attempt to pull off a deep playoff run.
Pistons Star Cade Cunningham Praised for Clutch Outing vs Thunder