Cade Cunningham has emerged as the most indispensable player in the 2026 NBA playoffs for the Detroit Pistons. The team trails the Cleveland Cavaliers 3-2 in the second round and needs a win in Game 6 on Friday night to extend its season. Cunningham leads the postseason in points, assists and minutes played.
Cunningham has shouldered an outsized role for Detroit throughout the playoffs. He has scored or assisted on nearly half of the Pistons' field goals and points while posting a 32.5 percent usage rate that tops all players logging at least 20 minutes per game. His performance includes 360 total points through the first 12 postseason contests, the fourth-highest total for any player age 24 or younger in that span of a playoff run.
