Ten months ago â almost to the day â Cade Cunningham changed the culture of the Detroit Pistons.
It was April 22, 2025. The Pistons were playing in Madison Square Garden in a first-round playoff game. At the time, they were facing a 15-game postseason losing streak, one that spanned 6,174 days, and were billed as steep underdogs.
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Cunningham was the reason Detroit won that game.
REQUIRED READING: How many points did Cade Cunningham score? Pistons vs. Knicks stats
And though the Pistons ultimately came up short 10 months ago in that hard-fought series, Cunningham is now the reason why Detroit could be poised for something far bigger.
Thursday, Feb. 19, in a 126-11 demolition over the Knicks, the Pistons completed their regular-season sweep over New York to improve to 41-13, the best record in the NBA. In fact, the average margin of victory Detroit posted against the Knicks this season was a staggering 28 points per win.
Like it was 10 months ago, it was Cunningham with a 42-point, 13-assist, 8-rebound masterclass Thursday that showed how dangerous Detroit can be in the East.
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âI would hope so,â Cunningham told reporters when asked if he thought the game made a statement. âI thought it was a good game for us. I think we all made a statement. We coming to win every night. We want to impose ourselves and our identity every night.â
And it also showed that, as of right now, Cunningham should be atop every NBA Most Valuable Player ranking.
The Pistons lack a true second scoring option, and the player who fits that role most closely â All-Star center Jalen Duren âmissed Thursdayâs victory due to a suspension. It didnât matter.
Cunningham shredded a pair of the leagueâs best wing defenders in OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges. He calmly orchestrated the offense, pushing the ball with pace. He surveyed the court, looking for spaces to attack. And when New York threw extra bodies at him, he made the right passes.
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Cunningham was efficient, shooting 17-of-34 from the field, including 5-of-11 from 3-point range.
âThe ball went through the rim, bro,â Cunningham said after the game with a smile. âIt was just one of those days.â
He joined LeBron James (twice) and Allen Iverson to be the only opposing players in history to drop 40 or more points and 10 or more assists at Madison Square Garden.
âGreat players have big games,â Knicks All-Star guard Jalen Brunson told reporters after the game. âWe didnât slow him down fast enough â or even at all.â
In 48 games, Cunningham is averaging 25.7 points, 9.7 assists and 5.7 rebounds per game. There are several players who score more than Cunningham â 15, in fact â but there is no player, right now, who is carrying his team more.
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âHeâs a superstar,â Pistons coach JB Bickerstaff told reporters after the game. âNo doubt about it. Itâs hard for me to think of five guys in this league that do more on both ends than he does.
âHe guards the opposing teamâs best perimeter player on any given night. Offensively, the ball is in his hands and his usage rate is through the roof. He never says no. He never complains and he goes out and gets the job done and it has impacted winning. I think thatâs what superstars do. Superstars arenât hollow numbers.â
Players like Lakers guard Luka DonÄiÄ, the NBAâs leading scorer at 32.8 points per game, are liabilities on defense. Opposing teams often scheme and attack so that they can end up with DonÄiÄ matched up on scorers. Nuggets center Nikola JokiÄ may be the most gifted offensive player in the NBA, but heâs not a defensive stopper.
Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (2) reacts after a dunk against the New York Knicks Feb 19, 2026 at Madison Square Garden. Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
And while Cunningham isnât an elite stopper, his length, athleticism and effort make him a problem for opposing wings, further increasing his value.
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Just two years ago, Detroit recorded the worst record in the NBA, at 14-68. This season, the Pistons had 40 wins by the All-Star break. Cunningham is just 24 and in his fifth season. Heâs only getting better.
âHeâs the guy that goes down in the Hall of Fame someday,â Bickerstaff said. âCade is playing at that level.â
That may very well turn out to be the case, but a lot has to happen before we can entertain that conversation.
First things first: if the season ended today, Cade Cunningham is your 2025-26 NBA MVP.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Cade Cunningham sends message to NBA: Meet your new MVP frontrunner
