{"id":1925123,"date":"2026-05-08T16:17:30","date_gmt":"2026-05-08T13:17:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1925123"},"modified":"2026-05-08T16:17:30","modified_gmt":"2026-05-08T13:17:30","slug":"cade-cunningham-has-help-donovan-mitchell-doesnt","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1925123","title":{"rendered":"Cade Cunningham has help. Donovan Mitchell doesn\u2019t"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

DETROIT \u2014 When Donovan Mitchell exited the court Thursday night, he was greeted, like always, by members of the Cleveland Cavaliers\u2019 front office. The men in suits stood outside the visitors\u2019 locker room, handing out conciliatory fist pumps after Game 2 in which the Cavs lost, and once again, looked lost. Mitchell nodded as he walked through the parade of pumps, even showing the faintest hint of an expression that signaled, We still got this<\/em>. The teammates who followed behind him, however, didn\u2019t look as sure.<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n

Advertisement<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Evan Mobley managed a spacey stare. Dennis Schr\u00f6der remained speechless. James Harden, still covered in sweat, connected with each fist and miraculously didn\u2019t commit another turnover in the process.<\/p>\n

This is the support surrounding Mitchell in the Eastern Conference semifinals. Now, contrast that with the scene that enclosed Cade Cunningham after the Detroit Pistons won 107-97 in front of a sellout crowd in Little Caesars Arena: Tobias Harris, the most reliable No. 2 scorer in this series, bounded off the court in a sprint. Daniss Jenkins, the better of the backup guards in this series, flashed three fingers toward the team\u2019s social media creator to celebrate the team\u2019s \u2018W.\u2019 And Duncan Robinson, by far and away the best 3-point shooter in this series, slapped on headphones for the customary post-victory radio interview.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s simple. One superstar in this series has help. The other does not. Cunningham\u2019s Pistons have taken a 2-0 lead because his teammates keep showing up and delivering in the clutch. Mitchell, who scored a game-high 31 points on Thursday night, has teammates who keep buckling in the big moments and have needed sympathy from the suits in the aftermath.<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s what we\u2019ve hung our hat on all year. Next-man-up mentality,\u201d said Cunningham, who led his mates with 25 points. \u201cTop to bottom, we\u2019ve got athletes. We got guys that can make plays. And I mean, now you\u2019re about to see it more.\u201d<\/p>\n

As the one who hears the \u201cM-V-P\u201d serenade, Cunningham will get credit for taking over in the fourth quarter. That\u2019s accurate but doesn\u2019t tell the full story. When Cleveland tied the score at 81 with about 10 minutes remaining, Detroit muted that rally behind a triple from Robinson and a floater from Harris. By the time Cunningham joined the scoring in the fourth quarter, right at the 5:47 mark, the Pistons had already retaken the lead.<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n

Advertisement<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Cunningham finished with a flurry, drawing fouls and hitting 3s and finishing with 12 points in the frame. However, he had help.<\/p>\n

\n

a.showcase-link-container {
\n display: flex;
\n gap: 20px;
\n flex-direction: column;
\n align-items: center;
\n padding: 20px 0px;
\n border-top: 1px solid rgba(150, 150, 147, 0.4);
\n border-bottom: 1px solid rgba(150, 150, 147, 0.4);
\n text-decoration: none;
\n color: #121212;
\n cursor: pointer;<\/p>\n

.showcase-link {
\n font-family: nyt-franklin;
\n font-size: 14px;
\n font-style: normal;
\n font-weight: 700;
\n line-height: 13.8px;
\n letter-spacing: 1.1px;
\n text-transform: uppercase;
\n }<\/p>\n

.showcase-link-image {
\n border-radius: 8px;
\n object-fit: cover;
\n width: 200px;
\n height: 150px;
\n margin: 0px;
\n @media (max-width: 600px) {
\n width: 120px;
\n height: 120px;
\n }
\n }<\/p>\n

.showcase-link-inner-content {
\n display: flex;
\n flex-direction: row;
\n gap: 16px;
\n width: 100%;
\n }<\/p>\n

.showcase-link-text-content {
\n display: flex;
\n flex-direction: column;
\n gap: 20px;
\n justify-content: center;
\n @media (max-width: 600px) {
\n gap: 8px;
\n }
\n }<\/p>\n

.showcase-link-title {
\n font-family: nyt-cheltenham;
\n font-size: 24px;
\n font-style: normal;
\n font-weight: 500;
\n line-height: 120%; \/* 24px *\/
\n letter-spacing: 0.01px;
\n text-overflow: ellipsis;
\n overflow: hidden;
\n display: -webkit-box;
\n -webkit-box-orient: vertical;
\n -webkit-line-clamp: 3;
\n @media (max-width: 600px) {
\n font-size: 16px;
\n }
\n }<\/p>\n

.showcase-link-excerpt {
\n font-family: nyt-imperial;
\n font-size: 16px;
\n font-style: normal;
\n font-weight: 400;
\n line-height: 139%; \/* 19.46px *\/
\n color: #323232;
\n text-overflow: ellipsis;
\n overflow: hidden;
\n display: -webkit-box;
\n -webkit-box-orient: vertical;
\n -webkit-line-clamp: 4;
\n @media (max-width: 600px) {
\n font-size: 12px;
\n line-height: 121%;
\n }
\n }
\n}<\/p>\n

.showcase-link-inputs {
\n .showcase-link-input {
\n width: 100%;
\n font-size: 1rem;
\n background-color: white;
\n margin-bottom: 12px;
\n }<\/p>\n

.showcase-link-indent {
\n margin-left: 25px;
\n }<\/p>\n

option {
\n width: 100%;
\n }
\n}<\/p>\n

@media (prefers-color-scheme: dark) {
\n .native-mobile a.showcase-link-container {
\n background-color: #121212;
\n color: #f0f0ee;
\n .showcase-link-excerpt {
\n color: #c4c4c0;
\n }
\n }
\n}<\/p>\n

\/\/ Remove all onclicks on imgs for apps to prevent image zoom on click
\n document.querySelectorAll(‘.showcase-link-image’).forEach((img) => img.removeAttribute(‘onclick’));<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

What You Should Read Next<\/div>\n
\n \"Pistons<\/p>\n
\n
\n Pistons take 2-0 series lead over Cavs thanks to defense and sharp 3-point shooting: Takeaways\n <\/div>\n
\n Detroit continues to thrive when Duncan Robinson gets going offensively, improving to 41-6 when he scores 12 or more points.\n <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n

At least so far in the matchup of backup point guards, Jenkins, a second-year pro, has outplayed the veteran Schr\u00f6der. A blur of a baller, Jenkins can race past any Cavalier they put in front of him. And he can shoot, too. Jenkins drilled a 30-footer to beat the buzzer in the third quarter. It was the third time this series that the Pistons snatched momentum at the end of a quarter with a deep 3.<\/p>\n

Also, while Harden, the former MVP and career 36.4 percent 3-point shooter, struggled, Robinson flourished. On Thursday night, Harden made only three shots and committed four turnovers, replicating an ugly stat sheet from Game 1, but Robinson\u2019s quick trigger resulted in five triples. He\u2019s up to 10 made 3s in the series, while Mitchell, Cleveland\u2019s solo star in need of a hand, leads his team with six.<\/p>\n

\n

a.showcase-link-container {
\n display: flex;
\n gap: 20px;
\n flex-direction: column;
\n align-items: center;
\n padding: 20px 0px;
\n border-top: 1px solid rgba(150, 150, 147, 0.4);
\n border-bottom: 1px solid rgba(150, 150, 147, 0.4);
\n text-decoration: none;
\n color: #121212;
\n cursor: pointer;<\/p>\n

.showcase-link {
\n font-family: nyt-franklin;
\n font-size: 14px;
\n font-style: normal;
\n font-weight: 700;
\n line-height: 13.8px;
\n letter-spacing: 1.1px;
\n text-transform: uppercase;
\n }<\/p>\n

.showcase-link-image {
\n border-radius: 8px;
\n object-fit: cover;
\n width: 200px;
\n height: 150px;
\n margin: 0px;
\n @media (max-width: 600px) {
\n width: 120px;
\n height: 120px;
\n }
\n }<\/p>\n

.showcase-link-inner-content {
\n display: flex;
\n flex-direction: row;
\n gap: 16px;
\n width: 100%;
\n }<\/p>\n

.showcase-link-text-content {
\n display: flex;
\n flex-direction: column;
\n gap: 20px;
\n justify-content: center;
\n @media (max-width: 600px) {
\n gap: 8px;
\n }
\n }<\/p>\n

.showcase-link-title {
\n font-family: nyt-cheltenham;
\n font-size: 24px;
\n font-style: normal;
\n font-weight: 500;
\n line-height: 120%; \/* 24px *\/
\n letter-spacing: 0.01px;
\n text-overflow: ellipsis;
\n overflow: hidden;
\n display: -webkit-box;
\n -webkit-box-orient: vertical;
\n -webkit-line-clamp: 3;
\n @media (max-width: 600px) {
\n font-size: 16px;
\n }
\n }<\/p>\n

.showcase-link-excerpt {
\n font-family: nyt-imperial;
\n font-size: 16px;
\n font-style: normal;
\n font-weight: 400;
\n line-height: 139%; \/* 19.46px *\/
\n color: #323232;
\n text-overflow: ellipsis;
\n overflow: hidden;
\n display: -webkit-box;
\n -webkit-box-orient: vertical;
\n -webkit-line-clamp: 4;
\n @media (max-width: 600px) {
\n font-size: 12px;
\n line-height: 121%;
\n }
\n }
\n}<\/p>\n

.showcase-link-inputs {
\n .showcase-link-input {
\n width: 100%;
\n font-size: 1rem;
\n background-color: white;
\n margin-bottom: 12px;
\n }<\/p>\n

.showcase-link-indent {
\n margin-left: 25px;
\n }<\/p>\n

option {
\n width: 100%;
\n }
\n}<\/p>\n

@media (prefers-color-scheme: dark) {
\n .native-mobile a.showcase-link-container {
\n background-color: #121212;
\n color: #f0f0ee;
\n .showcase-link-excerpt {
\n color: #c4c4c0;
\n }
\n }
\n}<\/p>\n

\/\/ Remove all onclicks on imgs for apps to prevent image zoom on click
\n document.querySelectorAll(‘.showcase-link-image’).forEach((img) => img.removeAttribute(‘onclick’));<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

What You Should Read Next<\/div>\n
\n \"Tobias<\/p>\n
\n
\n Tobias Harris is inspiring the Pistons with his work on and off the court\n <\/div>\n
\n If it weren’t for Harris being in the midst of one of his best playoff stretches, Detroit wouldn’t have its 2-0 series lead over the Cavs.\n <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n

Remember when Cunningham looked like the loneliest frontman in the Motor City? The first-round series against the Orlando Magic revealed Detroit\u2019s weaknesses. This is a physically imposing roster that pours its heart into playing defense, yes, for sure, but several of these athletes can\u2019t shoot. In the Game 1 loss, Cunningham scored 39 points while the rest of the team connected on only 18 of 50 attempts from the floor. Then, as Detroit tumbled into a 3-1 deficit, Cunningham led all scorers with 25 points through a highly inefficient night (7-for-23), while the Pistons couldn\u2019t even reach 90 points as a team.<\/p>\n

Cunningham was performing as the Gladys, surrounded not by the East\u2019s No. 1 seed, but the Detroit Pips. However, within a week, and with a change in opponent, the Pistons have controlled the semifinal round because they are playing like the deepest team in the East.<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n

Advertisement<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\u201cThere are guys who didn\u2019t get to play (who have) helped us win games. Probably everybody on our roster has helped us win a game at some point in this season,\u201d Cunningham said. \u201cI don\u2019t think there\u2019s a lot of teams that you can say that about.\u201d<\/p>\n

The truth is, the others on this 15-man roster were never just Cade\u2019s backup singers. A team doesn\u2019t climb to the upper echelon of the Eastern Conference by existing as a one-man show (well, not unless you\u2019re LeBron James dragging Boobie Gibson, Damon Jones, Drew Gooden and Zydrunas Ilgauskas to the 2007 NBA Finals).<\/p>\n

This season, when Cunningham missed 11 games because of a collapsed lung, Jenkins stepped into the starting lineup. Detroit won eight of those games. Earlier in the year, when Detroit earned its 13th in a row, four other Pistons besides Cunningham scored in double figures, including Caris LeVert, who added 19 from off the bench. And after surviving his early shooting funk in the first round, Harris has scored at least 20 points in seven straight games.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll year we\u2019ve had a great team, regardless of if people see it or not,\u201d said LeVert, who scored eight points in his reserve role Thursday night. \u201cWe know that the strength of this team is our depth. I think we\u2019ve shown that all year. I think in the first round, the way that (Orlando) was playing us, Cade had a lot of opportunities to go himself. I think in this round, (Cleveland) is kind of making him pass and making him get off the ball. So you\u2019re seeing other guys stepping up.\u201d<\/p>\n

So much for being a one-man machine. Just a singular star having to score, create and carry the load every night. That hasn\u2019t happened through the opening two games. At least not for Detroit.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

DETROIT \u2014 When Donovan Mitchell exited the court Thursday night, he was greeted, like always, by members of the Cleveland Cavaliers\u2019 front office. The men in suits stood outside the visitors\u2019 locker room, handing out conciliatory fist pumps after Game 2 in which the Cavs lost, and once again, looked lost. Mitchell nodded as he […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[226,241],"class_list":["post-1925123","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-crawlmanager","tag-nytimes-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1925123","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1925123"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1925123\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1925123"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1925123"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1925123"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}