Cade Cunningham is delivering clutch fourth-quarter performances and wins for his Detroit Pistons, and he has been rewarded by being named the Eastern Conference Player of the Week by the NBA.
Cunningham led the Pistons to a perfect 4-0 record from Nov. 3-9 with averages of 31 points, 9.8 assists, 3.3 rebounds, and 1.1 stock (steals plus blocks).
Cade capped the week with a win against the Sixers that saw him achieve his sixth 20-point double-double of the season and another monster second-half scoring
performance. He also delivered the best poster dunk of his career against former Pistons center Andre Drummond. Perhaps it exorcised some demons for the franchise and the fan base.
The superlatives for the hot Detroit start just keep piling up. It is the franchise’s best start through 10 games since 2005. Cade is averaging more assists than any Piston since Isaiah Thomas, and, maybe just a personal thing I am tracking, but his free-throw rate is by far the highest in his career. I think that is due to a combination of him figuring things out and the league finally putting some respect on his name.
Accolades like Player of the Week honors won’t hurt.
