Cade Cunningham’s 29% 3-point shooting leaves Pistons in 3-1 hole
cade cunningham is averaging 29 points per game, but his 29% shooting from 3 has left Detroit in a 3-1 hole against Orlando. The Pistons entered the series needing his perimeter game to stretch defenses, and that part of his attack has not held up. Detroit is now one loss from going home.
Cunningham and Orlando’s defense
Cunningham has produced scoring volume, but the efficiency has slipped where Detroit needs it most. He is making only 25% of his dribble-jumper 3s in this series, and 27% of his catch-and-shoot jumpers.
That is a problem against Orlando because the Magic are crowding the paint and daring Detroit’s non-shooters to decide games from outside. Cunningham is seeing the same kind of pressure that helped hold him to 17% on dribble-jumper 3s last postseason against the Knicks.
Detroit’s shooting shortage
The roster around him has not given him much relief. Detroit finished 29th in 3-point attempts and 17th in accuracy, while starting Ausar Thompson, a non-shooting wing, and leaning on non-threats at center, forward and guard with Jalen Duren, Tobias Harris and Javonte Green.
Duncan Robinson is the only real threat to worry about in Detroit’s lineup, which makes every miss from Cunningham easier for Orlando to absorb. The Pistons also entered the postseason without more secondary creation behind him, having viewed Tobias Harris, Caris LeVert and Daniss Jenkins as enough ball-handling depth. Their trade-deadline move was Jaden Ivey for Kevin Huerter, even though Detroit had all of its future firsts.
Jalen Duren’s drop
One more problem has come from the frontcourt. Jalen Duren has gone from 19.5 points on 65% shooting in the regular season to 9.8 points on 47% shooting in the playoffs.
Detroit spent six months with Cunningham as an MVP candidate, during which he averaged 24 points and 10 assists while the team went 60-22 and claimed the top seed in the East. He also missed 11 games after suffering a collapsed lung, and the playoffs have turned into a harder test than the regular season ever suggested.
The series now asks whether Cunningham can force a different version of the matchup before Orlando closes it out. He is averaging 29 points per game, but the combination of 29% from 3, shaky rim finishing and limited shooting help has left Detroit with little margin for error.
