Cade Cunningham

The pressures of navigating a franchise to its first postseason win in 17 years isn’t for the fainthearted, but as anyone watching Game Two against the New York Knicks could attest, Cade Cunningham’s handling of the situation went without flaw. Presented with an exploitable second-half edge against the Knicks for the second-consecutive game, Cunningham attacks with a veteran’s ferocity, working a lane-switching behind-the-back that fluidly allows him to escape Mikal Bridges’ pressure. Balancing himself thereafter, Cunningham powers home a one-handed jam over Josh Hart’s last-ditch contest, propelling a 13-point edge, and ultimately, an end to the NBA’s longest-running playoff win drought. The recently-named first-time All-Star again lived up to his status as the Detroit Pistons’ new franchise face, delivering a 33-point, 12-rebound, three-assist, two-steal, one-triple haymaker on April 21, 2025, becoming the first Piston to log a 30-point since Game Five of 2008’s East Semis. Efficiency closely followed, as Cunningham proved accurate overall (11-of-21), as well as from the charity stripe (10-of-12).