Cade Cunningham Steadies Detroit as Power Rankings Shake Up
So, let’s talk about where the Detroit Pistons stand right now — and more importantly, where Cade Cunningham fits into the larger story of this week’s NBA power rankings. We’ve reached the first real milestone of the season, that 25% mark where teams have played around 20 games, and suddenly the standings start to feel a lot more real. It’s that point when trends stop looking like flukes and start sounding like predictions, and Detroit has been one of the most interesting teams to watch in that mix.
The Pistons came into Week 7 riding the energy of a 13-game winning streak, a run that showed just how much the team has grown. But like every team on the rise, the momentum hit a little turbulence. They dropped two straight — a tight finish in Boston and another tough one against Orlando. Still, what made their bounce-back win in Miami impressive was how it unfolded. They built a massive 22-point lead, nearly gave all of it away in the fourth quarter, but held on just enough to steady themselves. It wasn’t perfect, but it was the kind of gritty win that contenders eventually have to pull off.
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And right in the center of it all was Cade Cunningham.
Cunningham’s development has become one of Detroit’s most reassuring storylines. His turnover rate has dropped to the lowest of his career, which is a huge deal for a primary ball handler orchestrating an offense that’s getting more complex by the week. It’s a sign that he’s seeing the floor better, making cleaner reads, and controlling possessions with a maturity that wasn’t always there in his earlier seasons. Even when the Pistons hit their rough patches, his steadying presence has been impossible to ignore.
Detroit’s rise is even more notable when you zoom out and look at the league-wide trends discussed in this week’s power rankings. Historically, teams that start 11–9 or better after 20 games end up making the playoffs almost every time. The Pistons did much better than that, putting themselves in a strong early position. Last season they proved that slow starts don’t define them — they were a No. 6 seed despite winning only eight of their first 20 — but now they’re showing what it looks like when their start aligns with their expectations.
Of course, there’s still a long road ahead. Teams around them are making big jumps — the Knicks, Lakers, Magic, and Wolves all surged this week — and others are sliding dramatically. Detroit’s challenge will be maintaining composure and handling the growing pressure of being one of the top teams instead of one of the surprising ones.
But with Cade Cunningham playing at this level, managing possessions, cutting down mistakes, and guiding the offense with far more control, the Pistons’ foundation looks more solid than ever. The season is still young, but Detroit finally feels like a team built for the long haul — not just a hot streak.
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