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DETROIT (AP)— Earlier this week, Cade Cunningham stated that his four playoff games had taught him more than he learned throughout the entire regular season.
However, the challenges increased just two games later.
On Tuesday, the Pistons managed to keep their postseason hopes alive by defeating the Knicks 106-103 at Madison Square Garden, marking Detroit’s second victory in New York.
Yet, on Thursday, they faced a heart-wrenching last-second defeat that concluded their playoff journey. Jalen Brunson’s 3-pointer with 4.5 seconds remaining pushed the Knicks ahead 116-113, and Cunningham’s attempt to pass the ball to Malik Beasley went out of bounds as time ran out.
“What stands out about the playoffs is the need to enhance your focus on details,” Cunningham acknowledged. “Each possession carries much greater significance compared to the regular season, so you must execute everything more vigorously, swiftly, and cohesively.”
Cunningham’s performance on Thursday wasn’t his finest; he recorded 23 points, eight assists, and seven rebounds, but he failed to sink any of his eight attempts from beyond the arc and committed three turnovers.
“There are countless plays I wish I could redo,” he reflected. “The turnovers are one thing, but we could have refined so many little aspects of our game.”
Overall, the Pistons had a commendable season by most metrics. A team that had struggled to surpass 25 wins in the past five years improved significantly from a 14-68 record to 44-38, securing the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference.
“The inspiration he provided us daily and the motivation he instilled… I’ve never experienced anything like it.”
Cade expressed deep admiration and gratitude for@DetroitPistonsHC J.B. Bickerstaff following their remarkable season 💙pic.twitter.com/kyBrStOfob
— NBA (@NBA)May 2, 2025
While they didn’t conquer the Knicks, they extended the series to six games, and this was only the second playoff series in NBA history where four consecutive games were decided by three points or fewer. Three of those matches resulted in narrow home losses for Detroit by margins of 2, 1, and 3 points.
“This was such an incredible atmosphere with an electrified crowd,” Beasley noted. “Next season, we must ensure we protect our home court. We managed to secure two wins at the Garden, and had we just captured one at home, we could have been finishing this series.”
The Pistons have significant improvements to address before making their next major advance. Their 3-point shooting remains inconsistent—the starters went 2-17 in Game 6—and they have difficulty limiting the opposing team’s offensive rebounds. The Knicks converted 13 offensive rebounds into 18 points on Thursday.
Nevertheless, those improvement plans can be put on hold for a few weeks.
“There’s a sense of disappointment at the moment because these players won’t have the chance to continue what they started this season,” Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff remarked. “Yet, this serves as invaluable experience; playoff experience can only be gained through participation, and these players excelled in learning and evolving from each moment and each game.
“They’ve grasped the aspects that influence winning.”
