"The sky is the limit": Are Cunningham's Pistons favorites to win the East?

At halftime of Sunday's game at the Xfinity Mobile Arena, it seemed like the Detroit Pistons' five-game winning streak was about to end. The Philadelphia 76ers were dominating the game with offensive fluidity, shooting accuracy, and energy, while the visitors, despite being more rested, couldn't find a way to match the pace of the home team.

However, the outlook completely changed after the break. Led by a dazzling Cade Cunningham, who scored 24 of his 26 points in the second half and executed a spectacular slam dunk over his former teammate Andre Drummond in the final minutes, Detroit managed to win 111-108 and achieve its best start to a season in decades.

“It's easy to believe,” Cunningham said when asked if he was surprised by his team's 8-2 record just two years after a disastrous 14-68 season. “Even then, it was hard for me to accept that we were so low. Now I feel like we are where we should be. We have players who have always known how to win, at any level. The NBA is tough, but we are finding our way together. We were young, but we are growing.”

This evolution is reflected in Cunningham himself, who has confirmed his status as a star after his breakout last year, when he was an All-Star and All-NBA for the first time and led Detroit back to the playoffs. In this season start, he leads the league in assists and continues to deliver outstanding performances. He entered the game with three straight games of 30 or more points but had only scored two points in the first half against Philadelphia. In the second half, he transformed his performance with 17 points in the third quarter, pivotal in overcoming a 13-point deficit. His dunk over Drummond sealed the victory against Tyrese Maxey's 32 points and 7 assists, the best of the Sixers (6-4).

Jalen Duren also shined with 21 points and 16 rebounds. “He could do that every night,” he commented on his teammate's dunk. “I still say he's the best point guard in the NBA, so those plays are normal for him.” The center, who raised his average to 19.4 points per game, has been another major driving force for the team, establishing himself as a defensive anchor with his ability to protect the rim and dominate the boards.

“He's been dominant,” acknowledged coach J.B. Bickerstaff. “He helps us protect the rim, is key in the pick-and-roll, and has become a great communicator on defense. He's in the right place, talks, directs... his growth has been enormous.”

Cunningham and Duren share memories of that 14-win season, a time when Detroit seemed far from any aspirations. Today, however, they emerge as the best team in the East, only behind the reigning champion, the Oklahoma City Thunder, in the entire NBA. “The sky's the limit,” Duren stated. “If we follow J.B., defend, work, and play together, we can go as far as we want.”

Cunningham, soaring high

Cunningham, for his part, asserted that his confidence never wavered, not even in the toughest moments. “I always knew I would succeed, that I would do what it takes to make it,” he explained. “I was fortunate to land in a franchise and a city with my same mindset. It's been an incredible journey, with ups and downs, but it's only the beginning. We're not satisfied with being 8-2. We want something bigger. We just have to keep working.”

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, "El cielo es el límite": Los Pistons de Cunningham, ¿favoritos a ganar el Este?