Cade Cunningham silencing durability concerns during breakout season for Pistons

MIAMI — It was already a milestone night for Cade Cunningham before he knocked down the biggest shot of his career.

Cunningham banked in a game-winning 3-pointer in the final second of the game, securing the Detroit Pistons a 116-113 road win over the Miami Heat on Wednesday.

In an ESPN-televised game, he logged his ninth triple-double of the season and delivered a thrilling win that affirmed why the first-time All-Star will likely appear on many All-NBA — if not MVP — ballots in the coming weeks.

Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (2) reacts after scoring against the Miami Heat during the fourth quarter at Kaseya Center in Miami on Wednesday, March 19, 2025.

His most important stat, though, was one he logged immediately after the opening tip. Wednesday was Cunningham’s 65th game of the season. It qualifies him for the NBA’s postseason awards.

This is the second season that players are required to appear in at least 65 games to be eligible — but it's the the first time Cunningham has played at least 65 games in his career.

Various lower-body injuries have forced him to miss extended periods of time through his first three seasons, extending the Pistons' misery — it’s tough to take a step forward, of course, when your franchise player is sidelined.

The No. 1 overall pick in 2021, finally, is silencing concerns about his injury history.

“It’s been huge for me,” Cunningham said Wednesday. “It’s really allowed me to play the game, freely, and enjoy it every night. I can’t credit our training staff (enough). … All of them have done a great job as far as pushing me, doing everything they can, extra hours to make sure I stay healthy.

“Our whole organization has done a great job of putting everything they can into us and making sure we feel good and feel ready for competition. That makes a world of a difference and it’s allowed me to come out and get better each day and try to be the player that I want to be.”

Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (2) drives to the basket against the Miami Heat during the fourth quarter at Kaseya Center in Miami on Wednesday, March 19, 2025.

Cade Cunningham's injury history

Injuries impacted Cunningham’s NBA career from the start: As a rookie, he missed training camp, preseason and five of the Pistons’ first six games with an ankle sprain. Health and safety protocols caused him to miss four games in December 2021, and a right hip pointer in February 2022 cost him five additional games. That 2021-22 season, he appeared in 64 games total.

His second season ended prematurely due to a stress fracture in his left shin, which he initially tried to play through until it was clear the pain was negatively impacting his play. He underwent surgery in December 2022, having played just 12 games.

Then last season, Cunningham played 36 consecutive games before a left knee strain cost him eight games in January. He also missed time in February due to left knee injury management, and capped his third NBA season by missing the final six games with left knee tendinopathy. He appeared in 62 games total.

With 12 games remaining this season, he has a chance to reach 70 games for the first time. He would do so while carrying arguably the heaviest load of his career: A career-high 2,282.4 minutes this season, for a total ranking 12th among all NBA players. (That's 35.1 minutes per game, ranking 22nd.)

Cunningham has logged more minutes than both of the top MVP candidates this season, Oklahoma City's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Denver's Nikola Jokic. Even with the added minutes, this has been his most efficient season, scoring and playmaking-wise; he’s 12th in the league in points per game (25.6) and third in assists (9.3).

Head coach J.B. Bickerstaff has been impressed with his durability of the engine of the league’s most improved team.

“All of us in this room and fans that watch the game need to understand how difficult these guys’ jobs are, especially the guys that have to carry teams the way Cade has to carry our team, the All-Stars, the weight that they bear,” Bickerstaff said. “They don’t get nights off. Every single night the other team brings their best ideas, their best defenders, their best players to try to slow these guys down.

“It’s the separator. Average, good to great — typically, the separator is, do you have the mental capacity to do it 82 times a night, which is extremely difficult. I think that’s what Cade has proven he’s been able to do, is he’s been able to carry us on most nights.”

Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (2) drives to the basket past Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro (14) during the fourth quarter at Kaseya Center in Miami on Wednesday, March 19, 2025.

Injuries were a factor in derailing the Pistons’ 2023-24 campaign early, leading into an NBA-record 28 straight losses. This season, they’ve largely benefitted from good health. Outside of Jaden Ivey’s likely season-ending broken leg on Jan. 1, the entire roster has been available more nights than not.

Malik Beasley and Ron Holland have appeared in all 70 games this season. Most of the rest of the core rotation has played at least 60 games. The exceptions: Ausar Thompson (48 games), whose season debut was delayed due to a recovery from a blood clot diagnosis last March; and Dennis Schröder (17 games), who arrived at the trade deadline.

Availability was a factor the front office took into consideration last offseason, as they scoured the free agent and trade market for reliable veterans. Cunningham’s improved health was expected, more than a year removed from surgery, with a full offseason of conditioning under his belt.

It’s a big reason why the Pistons (39-31) are three victories away from tripling last year’s win total (14), and six away from their first 45-win season since 2007-08.

Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (2) celebrates with forward Tim Hardaway Jr. (8), forward Tobias Harris (12) and other teammates after scoring the game-winning basket against the Miami Heat during the fourth quarter at Kaseya Center in Miami on Wednesday, March 19, 2025.

“That’s been huge towards our consistency as a group, having pretty much the same starting five most games this year,” Cunningham said. “Same rotation, guys are able to play every night. It’s a huge thing. I know it helps coach a lot. It’s huge for our synergy, knowing where everybody is going to be at, keeping the same consistency as far as groups on the floor and things like that.

“Health is the main thing. 'The best ability is availability' is what they always say.”

Contact Omari Sankofa II at osankofa@freepress.com. Follow him on X and/or Bluesky.

Follow the Detroit Free Press on Instagram (@detroitfreepress), TikTok (@detroitfreepress), YouTube (@DetroitFreePress), X (@freep), and LinkedIn, and like us on Facebook (@detroitfreepress).

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Pistons Cade Cunningham has new ability in Year 4: Durability

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