Advantage, Cade: Cunningham, Pistons eager to flex playoff experience

Detroit's All-Star leader sat for nearly three weeks recovering from a partially collapsed lung, but his team still clinched the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs.

Apr. 18, 2026 at 9:36am

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a Pistons basketball game, with sharp, overlapping planes of blue, red, and white representing the team's identity and energy.The Pistons' playoff experience and Cade Cunningham's offseason growth have them primed for a deep postseason run.Today in Detroit

Cade Cunningham and the Detroit Pistons are heading into the playoffs with more experience and a chip on their shoulder after last year's first-round loss to the Knicks. Cunningham, who missed time this season due to a partially collapsed lung, watched his teammates go 8-3 in his absence and clinch the No. 1 seed in the East. The Pistons are ready to prove their toughness and identity in the postseason, with Cunningham feeling stronger and more prepared after an offseason focused on improving his physicality and skill set.

Why it matters

The Pistons' playoff experience from last year, combined with their dominant regular season, has them poised to make a deep run in the postseason. Cunningham's growth and the team's collective improvement could make them a formidable opponent in the East, challenging the perceived favorites like Boston and Cleveland.

The details

Cunningham missed nearly three weeks in March due to a partially collapsed lung, but he was able to learn from watching his teammates go 8-3 in his absence and clinch the No. 1 seed. The Pistons' identity of toughness and chaos was on full display, something Cunningham recognized as a strength. Last year's first-round playoff loss to the Knicks was a valuable learning experience for Cunningham and the team, as they saw the increased intensity and importance of every possession in the postseason. Cunningham added more muscle in the offseason to better handle the physicality, and his improved shooting, free-throw rate, and defensive versatility have him primed for a big playoff run.

  • Cunningham missed nearly three weeks in mid-March due to a partially collapsed lung.
  • The Pistons clinched the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs during Cunningham's absence.
  • The Pistons swept the Knicks in the regular season, including a 42-point, 13-assist, 8-rebound performance by Cunningham in February.

The players

Cade Cunningham

The Pistons' 24-year-old All-Star leader who missed time this season due to a partially collapsed lung, but returned stronger and more prepared for the playoffs after an offseason focused on improving his physicality and skill set.

J.B. Bickerstaff

The Pistons' head coach who has seen Cunningham's growth and is now comfortable switching him 1-through-5 defensively due to his improved strength and two-way ability.

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What they’re saying

“'The connectivity, the connectiveness, connectedness — whatever the word is — it's all of it. But more than anything, I think it's just seeing what other teams see, as far as our identity, our toughness, and the chaos that we bring. It's hard to play against. And I was watching, like, 'Yeah, we look tough to play against.'”

— Cade Cunningham, Pistons All-Star

“'I mean, it's just the intensity and the importance of every possession. You know, playoff basketball comes down to possession basketball, and the team that typically wins the possession game is the team that's going to win the game that night.'”

— J.B. Bickerstaff, Pistons Head Coach

What’s next

The Pistons will open the playoffs this Sunday, April 21, 2026 at home against their first-round opponent.

The takeaway

The Pistons' playoff experience from last year's first-round loss, combined with their dominant regular season and Cade Cunningham's offseason improvements, have them poised to make a deep postseason run and challenge the perceived Eastern Conference favorites.