Apr 21, 2025; New York, New York, USA; Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (2) celebrates his three point shot against New York Knicks forward OG Anunoby (8) during the second quarter of game two of the first round of the 2024 NBA Playoffs at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images / Brad Penner-Imagn Images
On Monday night, the Detroit Pistons took the floor at Madison Square Garden looking to recover from their second-half collapse in Game 1. Things ended up going down to the wire again, but the final result was much different. As the series gets ready to head to Detroit, one of their notable performers received high praise from an NBA legend.
Heading into this series, Cade Cunningham was one player many planned to zero in on. Following a breakout campaign in the regular season, many awaited to see how the former No. 1 pick would look under the bright lights of the playoffs. Cunningham held his own in his postseason debut but came back even better for Game 2.
The Pistons did not let another game slip through their fingers, winning Game 2 by a final score of 100-94. Cunningham played a big role in the victory, efficiently filling up the entire stat sheet. In 42 minutes of action, the All-Star guard notched 33 points, 12 rebounds, three assists, and two steals.
New York did what they could to try and slow Cunningham down, but the breakout star still managed to shine through. Along with shooting a stellar 52.4% from the field, he also got to the free-throw line 12 times and converted 10 of the attempts. The Pistons did not let this stellar outing go to waste, taking care of business to tie the series at one game apiece.
Following his impressive outing against the Knicks, Magic Johnson took to social media to praise Cunningham for his efforts. The Lakers legend applauded his game, dubbing him a superstar in the making in the NBA.
Pistons guard Cade Cunningham showed America he’s a superstar in the making scoring 33 points tonight in their win over the New York Knicks! Dennis Schroeder scored 20 points and hit the biggest shot of the game to break the tie that helped the Pistons pull it out in the stretch…
— Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) April 22, 2025
Having taken a game on the road, the hard part is over for the Pistons. They’ve managed to take home-court advantage just as the series is getting ready to head to Detroit. All Cunningham and company have to do now is take care of business on their home floor.
The Pistons will look to keep their momentum rolling Thursday night in Game 3 at Little Caesars Arena.
