Cade Cunningham and the Detroit Pistons took care of the New York Knicks on Thursday. It was a statement win against an old rival, after the Pistons’ 3-0 season series sweep. While Detroit didn’t have star big men Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart because of NBA suspensions, it was no big deal.
Cunningham led the Pistons to a 126-111 win, thanks to his 42-point outing. The two-time All-Star flirted with a triple-double with eight rebounds and 13 assists. The Knicks didn’t have an answer from the jump, as he had a strong 14-point first quarter.
After the game, the star guard was asked if he made a statement against the Knicks with his performance.
“I would hope so. It was a good game for us. I think we all made a statement,” Cade Cunningham said. “We come to win every night, we want to impose ourselves and our identity every night.
“Starting on defense and transition into offense, scoring in the paint, defending the paint. That’s the statement we want to make every night and tonight was a big night for us.”
Cade on if he made a statement tonight: “I would hope so. It was a good game for us. I think we all made a statement.” pic.twitter.com/ydWNU3wm6s
— Omari Sankofa II (@omarisankofa) February 20, 2026
The Pistons continue to dominate in the Eastern Conference and are now 41-13. They are the first team in the conference to win at least 40 games.
JB Bickerstaff commented on Cade Cunningham’s MVP case
Because of his success, Cade Cunningham has a better chance of winning MVP this season. When asked if the star guard made an MVP statement based on his 42-point game, coach JB Bickerstaff said this:
“He’s been that all year long. I don’t think you pick an MVP based off one game or one statement. He’s been this way the entire season. He’s dominated both ends of the floor and impacted winning in a major way.”
Before their game against the Knicks, Cunningham had already been one of the best players in the NBA. Through 47 games, he’s averaged 25.3 points, 5.6 rebounds and 9.6 assists on 46.2% shooting. His strong performance has helped the team secure a better record.
Last season, the Pistons won 44 games. This year, they’re close to reaching that number of wins, and there are still a lot of games to be played.
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