The Detroit Pistons have clinched the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference despite franchise star Cade Cunningham being sidelined for more than two weeks. With just three regular-season games remaining, however, the team is eager to get him back to full health as soon as possible.
Cunningham was diagnosed with a collapsed lung last month, putting his availability in doubt with no clear timeline. While Detroit maintained that he was progressing, his return only began to look imminent when he was upgraded to questionable on Tuesday ahead of the matchup against the Milwaukee Bucks.
That marked the first real indication of his potential return, and the Pistons received another positive update early Wednesday morning when the two-time All-Star participated in shootaround.
Isaiah Stewart, who has missed 13 games due to a left calf strain, also took part in shootaround. Both players, however, remain listed as questionable, with a final status update still pending.
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These are encouraging signs for Detroit. Even if Cunningham and Stewart return on limited minutes, it would allow the team to get closer to full strength before the regular season concludes. The Pistons have two games remaining after this one, against the Charlotte Hornets and the Indiana Pacers.
Cunningham was in the middle of another outstanding season before going down 11 games ago. In his fifth year with the Pistons, he has been averaging 24.5 points on 46.1% shooting, along with 5.6 rebounds, a career-high 9.9 assists, and 1.5 steals in 34.4 minutes per game. He is also knocking down 2.0 three-pointers per game at a 34.6% clip.
His strong play has been the driving force behind Detroit’s success this season. The Pistons hold the best record in the Eastern Conference at 57–22, sitting three games ahead of the second-seeded Boston Celtics.
Detroit has gone 7–3 in Cunningham’s absence, with Daniss Jenkins and Marcus Sasser stepping into larger roles. Both are expected to remain involved for the rest of the regular season, as the Pistons will likely limit Cunningham’s minutes upon his return, prioritizing his health heading into the playoffs and preparing for a potential championship run.
Detroit also received good news on Tobias Harris, who has been removed from the injury report after missing Monday’s loss with a knee issue. The Pistons are set to tip off at 7:00 p.m. ET at Little Caesars Arena.
