'Special' Cade Cunningham shines as Pistons even series vs. Magic

Detroit — After the Orlando Magic secured the No. 8 seed with a win over the Charlotte Hornets last week, coach Jamahl Mosley shifted his attention to the first-round series against the Detroit Pistons.Mosley wasted no time preparing, knowing he would be facing his good friend, coach J.B. Bickerstaff, in a seven-game series. He understood it would be a defensive-minded, physical matchup, so his team needed to be mentally prepared. At the top of Mosley's preparation list, however, was developing a defensive scheme to contain Pistons star Cade Cunningham, as it requires "a lot" to defend the All-NBA guard effectively.Advertisement"He’s special. There’s a reason why he gets those honors for what he’s done on both sides of the ball. I think you just have to be smart with him," Mosley said. "He doesn’t let you speed him up; he plays at his own pace. You’ve got to put different defenders on him. He has to see different coverages. I think it’s the same as all great players. You can‘t let them get that dosage of the same thing over and over again because they will pick you apart. I think that’s the big key with him."Mosley entered Little Caesars Arena on Sunday night confident in his defensive game plan. In the first 15 minutes of the series, it seemed he was successful. The Magic managed to limit Cunningham to only 4-of-10 shooting from the field, along with forcing three turnovers.More: Detroit Pistons' playoffs X-factor Daniss Jenkins 'grateful' ahead of postseason debutBut by the time Mosley and his players departed Detroit following the Pistons' 98-83 Game 2 victory, he knew it was time to go back to the drawing board. Cunningham was at the forefront of how the Pistons were able to tie the series, as he finished with a double-double of 27 points on 11-of-19 shooting, to go along with 11 assists and six rebounds. Mosley helplessly watched from the sideline late in the fourth quarter as Cunningham executed a left-to-right, in-and-out crossover dribble against the Magic's Paolo Banchero, leading to a right-handed layup.Advertisement"It's the best. This is what I love about basketball," Cunningham said. "Being out there and being in intense situations and making plays. This is the best job in the world, but then, to add playoff basketball and to be playing for something while representing the city, it adds a lot more to it, which makes it fun."Despite the disappointment in Game 1, Cunningham has had a strong start in the first two games against the Magic. He is averaging 33.0 points on 52.2% shooting from the field, along with 7.5 assists and 5.5 rebounds.After his performance Wednesday night, Cunningham has scored 20 or more points in each of his first eight playoff games. He is now tied for the sixth-longest streak to start a postseason career in league history. However, the lone knock against the All-Star guard through the first two games has been his turnover rate, averaging 5.0 per game.Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (2) drives past Orlando Magic forward Franz Wagner (22) in the first half. Detroit Pistons vs Orlando Magic, Round 1/Game 2 at Little Caesars Arena on Wednesday, April 22, 2026, in Detroit, MichCunningham wishes the Pistons were ahead 2-0 as the series heads to Orlando for Game 3 on Saturday afternoon. However, he finds solace in overcoming personal struggles after suffering a collapsed lung late in the regular season, especially in light of his performance during the first two games.Advertisement"I'm just grateful to be here, grateful to be back," Cunningham said. "I am grateful to be back feeling the way that I feel, especially when my team needs me. All glory to God for sure. Now, I just want to continue going and representing."Cunningham suffered the injury March 17 against the Washington Wizards while attempting to dive for a loose ball. During the attempt, Wizards guard Tre Johnson's right knee struck Cunningham's back, resulting in a collapsed left lung.The severity of the injury nearly jeopardized his chances of winning regular-season awards and could have negatively impacted his MVP-caliber play in the postseason. Two days before the Pistons began their first-round series against the Magic, Cunningham mentioned after practice he was still working to regain his form, particularly focusing on his durability and getting back to playing at game speed.Cunningham's sluggish start in the Pistons' 112-101 loss in Game 1 was more about him finding his rhythm than Mosley's defensive scheme. Despite the loss, he managed to score 39 points, including 25 points on 8 of 15 shooting in the second half. He noted during his postgame press conference his performance during the final two quarters was the best he has felt physically since returning from his injury.AdvertisementMore: Pistons reach 60 wins for third time. Here are 3 big reasons why"He’s him, and he understands that," Bickerstaff said. "To have the size, agility, touch, speed, (and) patience that he has. He’s a matchup nightmare for people. It takes multiple bodies to stop him, and then even that, because he can get to his spot and shoot as many, it’s hard to get to him. So, he’s embraced the moment, and he’s leading us the way he needs to."Cunningham and the Pistons were thrilled following their Game 2 victory. The win marked the Pistons' first home playoff victory since May 2008, and the team had every reason to enjoy it with their usual post-game celebration.Unlike during the regular season, however, there was no music playing in the home locker room, as the team decided to keep their minds focused, knowing the series would only get tougher as they prepared for the Magic's response.AdvertisementWhether regrouping for Cunningham or for the Pistons as a whole, Mosley hopes the adjustments he makes to his defensive game will be enough to halt the momentum Detroit established as the series shifts to Kia Center for Games 3 and 4."This was one of many for this playoff run," Cunningham said. "We feel good, but know it's going to be a long series. Even with the win, it doesn't change anything. We have to keep going."NBA Playoffs, first round: No. 8 Magic vs. No. 1 PistonsSeries tied, 1-1Game 1: Magic 112, Pistons 101Game 2: Pistons 98, Magic 83Game 3: at Orlando, Saturday, 1 p.m. (Peacock)AdvertisementGame 4: at Orlando, Monday, April 27, 8 p.m. (NBC/Peacock))Game 5: at Detroit, Wednesday, April 29, TBD (TBD)x-Game 6: at Orlando, Friday, May 1, TBD (TBD)x-Game 7: at Detroit, Sunday, May 3 TBD (TBD)x-If necessarycoty.davis@detroitnews.com@cotydavis_24This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: 'Cade Cunningham shines as Detroit Pistons even Orlando Magic series