Cade Cunningham Expected Back Wednesday, and the Pistons' Playoff Push Just Got a Major Jolt
Hold up. Cade Cunningham is playing tonight against the Bucks. Yes, you read that right. After missing 11 games with a collapsed left lung, the Pistons' star is expected to suit up Wednesday and rejoin the rotation for Detroit's final stretch of the regular season.
The Injury That Almost Cost the Season
Back on March 17 against Washington, Cunningham went down with a collapsed left lung that looked season ending. The Pistons had to operate without their engine for the better part of a month, and honestly, everyone figured he'd be sidelined until the playoffs ramped up. The expectation was clear: rest up, let it heal, get ready for April 18 when the real season starts.
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👉 Claim Your Free $10 at KalshiExcept the guy wasn't having it. Despite being listed as doubtful the last couple of days, Cunningham has cleared the way to return. The Pistons medical staff gave him the green light, and now Detroit is about to get its best player back when it matters most.
Detroit Is Ready for the Playoffs
Here's the thing that makes this timing wild: the Pistons have absolutely crushed it without him. Since Cunningham went down, Detroit has gone 8-3 and just clinched home-court advantage throughout the entire Eastern Conference playoffs on Saturday. That's not just surviving without your best guy. That's thriving.
Now imagine what happens when Cunningham gets back on the floor. This season he's been a force, averaging 24.5 points, 9.9 assists, 5.6 rebounds and 1.5 steals across 61 games at 34.4 minutes per game. Those are all-star numbers. The Pistons have three regular season games left, and Cunningham will have time to shake off the rust before the playoffs tip off.
Detroit is not just a playoff team. They're a conference threat that already has home-court advantage locked down. And now they're getting their best player back at exactly the right moment. Watch out, East.
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