There was no miracle for the Pistons in Atlanta. Detroit lost again, for the 24th time in a row. However, there was a little spark in this meeting, with the performance of Cade Cunningham. The playmaker signed his career record with 43 points at 16/24 shooting.
More than just his points, he mainly brought his team back into the game on several occasions, in the first and second half. But that was not enough to secure a long-awaited victory.
“The margin for error is small, but it gives us an opportunity to learn and put things in order, like great teams do,” he declares for the Detroit Free Press. “The margin for error is low in the NBA. We have to be able to put things in order to win matches. We have to learn from matches where we see that there is a hole to fill, while the rest holds. And then the next match, we fill this hole and another one opens up. We learn. We are young, we need these moments. We hate the current situation but it is necessary to learn and progress. »
Keeping your head high despite defeats
Monty Williams highlighted the attitude of his player, who tried everything to bring a sinking boat to the surface.
“We exchanged a few texts the day before the match and I told him that his leadership is fantastic as he goes through arguably the most difficult period of his career,” says the coach. “I am proud of the way he speaks to the group, of his daily state of mind. He is saddened by the defeats but remains the glue of our team. He rose to the occasion and played his leadership role extraordinarily. »
Times are tough, it's obvious, and Cade Cunningham can only confirm it. As the leader of a group currently adrift, he must nevertheless support his team and set an example.
” I want to win. We all want it. It's not just me, the others also say the right things in the locker room, try to involve everyone. ensures the former first choice of the Draft. “But I have a lot of responsibilities on the field, so it’s important to be a voice and encourage my teammates. This is what they do for me. I'm just trying to do whatever I can to make things happen. »
Especially since, despite the defeats, Cade Cunningham can at least savor his return to the field, he who admitted to having gone through “dark moments” last season, during his rehabilitation.
“You have to keep your head as cool as you can, and I try to attack every day and see what I can get out of it. I'm not giving up. I can't do anything else. I can't hide, I can't run away.”
| Cade Cunningham | Percentage | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | L.F. | Off | Def | Early | Pd | Party | Int | Bp | Ct | Pts |
| 2021-22 | DET | 64 | 33 | 41.6 | 31.4 | 84.5 | 0.9 | 4.6 | 5.5 | 5.6 | 3.1 | 1.2 | 3.7 | 0.7 | 17.4 |
| 2022-23 | DET | 12 | 33 | 41.5 | 27.9 | 83.7 | 1.0 | 5.2 | 6.2 | 6.0 | 2.8 | 0.8 | 3.3 | 0.6 | 19.9 |
| 2023-24 | DET | 26 | 34 | 42.2 | 31.5 | 88.1 | 0.5 | 3.4 | 3.9 | 7.0 | 2.7 | 0.9 | 4.0 | 0.2 | 21.4 |
| Total | 102 | 33 | 41.8 | 31.1 | 85.6 | 0.8 | 4.4 | 5.2 | 6.0 | 3.0 | 1.1 | 3.7 | 0.6 | 18.7 | |
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def=defensive rebound; Tot = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; Pts = Points.
