Cade Cunningham has made a habit of turning Madison Square Garden into his personal stage, and the Knicks may need a different answer for him this time.
Detroit and New York are the kind of matchup both sides notice right away on the calendar. The teams don’t like each other, and with both expected to be in the mix near the top of the Eastern Conference, every meeting carries extra weight.
Cunningham, though, has especially thrived in New York. Over his last five games at Madison Square Garden against the Knicks, he has averaged 31 points, eight assists and seven rebounds while shooting 47/39/89.
That history is why the Pistons have to be ready for more than just Cunningham taking over as a scorer. He can certainly do that, especially on a big stage, but this game could ask him to wear a different hat if New York loads up on him.
Detroit has the kind of shooting that can punish the Knicks for overcommitting. Duncan Robinson and John Collins have both been scorching from deep early in the season, each hitting better than 50 percent of their three-pointers. Even if Isaiah Joe is unavailable, the Pistons bring more perimeter firepower than they’ve had in previous matchups with New York, and that gives them a real counter if the Knicks try to crowd Cunningham.
Jalen Duren being out only pushes Detroit further toward five-out looks, which should open the floor even more for Cunningham. If New York still chooses to send extra attention his way, the Pistons can make them pay by turning those traps into open looks for shooters. The Knicks are left with a tough decision: stay home on the perimeter and live with Cunningham operating freely, or load up on him and risk getting burned from outside.
Without Mitchell Robinson at center, New York also doesn’t have the same kind of rim protection to fall back on. That makes the choice even trickier.
Double Cunningham, and Detroit can spread the floor and attack. Leave him alone, and he can just go to work.
That’s why this could turn into one of those nights where Cunningham piles up assists without needing a huge shot volume, at least early. He can ease his way in, get teammates involved, and then shift gears if the game calls for it. If Ausar Thompson doesn’t play and Daniss Jenkins starts at point guard, Cunningham could also see more chances to work off the ball, which would give Detroit another way to get him the ball with the defense already in motion.
The Pistons have handled the Knicks well in recent regular-season meetings, and several of those wins came without Duren. So even with the injuries, this is still the kind of game Detroit expects to win.
And with this revamped offense, the Pistons have more ways to make sure Cunningham is difficult to contain whether he’s on the ball or moving around without it.
In Other News...
John Collins Is Becoming A Real Pistons Problem At Home
John Collins has quietly turned into one of those players the Pistons have to keep an extra eye on, especially when the building changes. His production has been noticeably stronger on the road than at home, where his scoring, rebounding and shooting have all trailed off, and he has also taken fewer threes in Detroit. For a team leaning on him to help stretch the floor and clean up the glass with Jalen Duren out, that split matters.
The good news for Detroit is that the schedule is about to take Collins away from home, where his comfort level has been harder to read. The Pistons need him to be more than a complementary piece in those spots, particularly as a rebounder and spacer who can help keep the offense balanced. Whether the road trip nudges him back toward the version that has shown up elsewhere is one of the quieter questions hanging over the team right now. [Read more 🡒]
Pistons Fast Start Is Putting One Young Piece Under Pressure
The Pistons 4-1 start has them sitting atop the Eastern Conference and looking like one of the leagues early surprises, with Duncan Robinson, Daniss Jenkins and Paul Reed all giving Detroit meaningful early-season production. In a season that already feels different around the roster, the fast start has helped validate the teams direction and given the supporting cast real room to breathe.
Ron Holland II, though, has been the young piece under the brightest spotlight through the first five games. His uneven play has created an awkward subplot inside a winning group, especially with the kind of depth Detroit is showing elsewhere, and it has naturally led to talk about how secure his place is as the season unfolds and the trade deadline gets closer. [Read more 🡒]
Pistons Suddenly Need Paul Reed More Than They Planned
Jalen Durens hamstring strain has left the Pistons with an immediate hole in the middle, and for now that means Paul Reed is moving from useful reserve to far more central piece of the rotation. Detroit expected to lean on its depth this season, but injuries have a way of changing the plan fast, and Reed has already started to look like the player the staff can trust when the minutes spike.
Against the Charlotte Hornets, Reed logged significant run and turned it into 16 points, four rebounds, three steals and a block, the kind of all-around showing that can buy a little confidence while Duren is out. The question now is how long Detroit can keep stretching that trust, and whether Reed can hold down the starting job long enough to stabilize the frontcourt while the team waits for Duren to return. [Read more 🡒]