Cade Cunningham strengthens MVP candidacy with 42-point performance against Knicks
NEW YORK — Madison Square Garden serves as a platform for both teams and individual players, representing one of the most significant stages in the sport.
The Detroit Pistons made another strong statement, completing a season sweep of the New York Knicks with a commanding 126-111 victory, despite the absence of two key players due to suspension.
Individually, Cade Cunningham made a compelling argument for the league’s Most Valuable Player, finishing with 42 points, 13 assists, and eight rebounds.
Cunningham mentioned to ESPN during the preseason that while the award wasn’t a direct objective, it would naturally follow from the team’s success.
“It comes from executing the things I mentioned, what I needed to do to be in that conversation,” Cunningham told ESPN Thursday night. “Now that we’re approaching that point, there’s more discussion, like ‘what is your case? You should address it.’ I don’t really care to discuss it. I want the voters to be perceptive enough to evaluate the game on their own.”
He is no longer shying away from the possibility.
“I believe I am (MVP),” Cunningham stated to ESPN. “And if you disagree, that’s your perspective.”
Thursday’s game was a significant declaration under the circumstances. The Pistons were missing their top two big men, Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart, due to suspensions stemming from their altercation in Charlotte prior to the All-Star break.
The Knicks, having suffered two substantial defeats in Detroit recently, aimed to seek regular-season retribution against the team that eliminated them in last year’s playoffs.
The outcome was entirely different.
The Pistons restricted the Knicks, one of the league’s top 3-point shooting teams, to just eight of 35 from beyond the arc, including a stretch where the Knicks missed 15 consecutive attempts in the first half.
“This isn’t a rivalry with the Knicks,” Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff remarked regarding his team’s strategy against the Knicks this season. “In most of our games, we’ve maintained the same approach, the same intensity, and the same defensive effort. This is simply basketball for us, unrelated to the opponent.”
Cunningham effectively handled every defender the Knicks assigned to him, whether it was OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges, or, later in the game, new addition Jeremy Sochan. Cunningham made five of 11 attempts from 3-point range and contributed two blocks defensively.
“I don’t think you determine an MVP based solely on one game or one performance,” Bickerstaff noted. “He’s been consistent throughout the entire season. He’s dominated on both ends of the court and significantly influenced winning.”
The Pistons currently hold the best record in the NBA (41-13), having recently taken the top position from the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder. They have extended their lead in the conference to six games over the Boston Celtics, and their 19-7 record on the road is just one win shy of the Thunder.
Cunningham appeared to enjoy playing at Madison Square Garden. In last season’s playoffs, he averaged 26 points, 7.6 assists, and 8.6 rebounds, leading the Pistons to victories in both of their wins in the series during the three games in New York. The memory of last year’s playoffs lingers, and in addition to being 3-0 against the Knicks, they are 3-1 against second-place Boston and 1-1 against fourth-place Cleveland.
“Due to the playoffs and all that, people want to elevate this more than it is,” Bickerstaff stated. “We have confidence in our depth. We’ve secured numerous victories this season, even when not at full strength.”
As long as they have Cunningham, they seem to trust their prospects. Since the media began voting for the award in 1980, the highest a Piston has finished was Grant Hill in 1997, when he placed behind Michael Jordan and Karl Malone.
Isiah Thomas finished fifth in 1984.
Cunningham appears to be on track to surpass both.
“He’s a winner, without a doubt. His attitude, leadership, and daily commitment make him exceptional,” veteran forward Tobias Harris remarked. “More than anything, he desires championships, and that sets him apart. There are those who aim for MVP and those who strive for championships.”
Harris noted that this topic hasn’t dominated locker room discussions this year, as players are just beginning to recognize how high Cunningham is in the MVP conversation.
He is averaging 25.3 points (14th in the NBA), 9.6 assists (2nd), and 5.8 rebounds.
“To sweep a team as talented as them, who play at a high level, is significant,” Cunningham stated. “To defeat them, especially for tiebreakers, carries weight. Competing against Eastern teams and overcoming a strong opponent is meaningful.”
When asked if the Pistons made a definitive statement, Cunningham was somewhat reserved.
“What is it? I mean, we’re the best team in the East; I’m not sure what statement that is,” Cunningham said. “The statement is showing up to play every night, and we’re going to compete until you concede to us.”
