The night started slow for Cade Cunningham, as it did for the Pistons. They tend to go as he goes. But Cade kept coming and the Pistons kept pushing, and then Dwane Casey was pushing for the first overall pick to get his due after another historic performance that lifted the Pistons over the Hawks in OT Monday at LCA.
"With Cade, he’s Rookie of the Year," said Casey. "I mean, it’s not even close, as far as talent evaluation. I’ve been in it a long time, seen a lot of players. The only thing they could hold us against us is that we’re a young team rebuilding. But talent wise, he’s the guy that can finish games for you and that’s what you need. In situations to finish games, he’s playing like a 10-year vet."
Amid a quiet start for their star, the Pistons trailed the Hawks by nine in the second quarter. A month or two ago, Dwane Casey said they would have lost by 15. But this young team that’s won six of its past eight is starting to grow up. Cunningham had just nine points at the half, and 13 after three. He saved his best for last.
Cunningham led all scorers with eight points and three assists in the fourth. He nearly won the game for Detroit with an and-1 put-back off his own miss and two clutch free throws inside the final minute as the fans at LCA chanted the words that one day might ring true: "MVP! MVP!" Trae Young, the star on the other side, scored two points in the fourth.
And Cunningham led all scorers with seven points in overtime, including the three that put the Pistons ahead for good. The star on the other side scored two. At times, it was hard to believe that No. 2 in white was a rookie. Casey kept calling his name, and Cade kept coming through. He used his length to get to the rim and his vision to find his teammates, most often big man Marvin Bagley III who scored 19 points of his own. Cunningham finished with 28.
"I feel probably most comfortable in my life whenever I have the ball in my hands," he said. "I’m just working. It’s my favorite hobby in life. I love it more than anything."
If the Pistons had possession down the stretch, Cunningham had the ball. At 20 years old, he's already their closer. Casey said "we wanted to go to him and we got what we wanted." Cunningham can be quick, but he's never in a rush. He's fierce, but never flustered. His mind is fast and his heartbeat is slow, which allows him to play one step ahead with both feet in the moment.
In the clutch this season -- the final five minutes of games within five points -- Cunningham now ranks 30th in the NBA in points. He's the only rookie among the top 50. And he's one of just seven players overall with at least 55 clutch points, 25 clutch boards and 10 clutch assists, a group headlined by Nikola Jokic and Joel Embiid. At winning time, Cunningham is making winning plays.
"The trust they have in me to go make something happen, I really appreciate it because I feel like I can do it," Cunningham said. "I work really hard on my game. So late-game, whenever I’m able to create something and put us ahead, that’s one of the best feelings for me. I don’t really get too nervous in those situations. I just go do what I love to do and try to make plays for my team to win."
No rookie has made plays like this for the Pistons since Isiah Thomas. On top of his 28 points Monday night, Cunningham had 10 assists and six rebounds. Thomas is the only other Pistons rookie in the last 50 years to have a game with at least 25-10-5. And no rookie is making plays like this for any other NBA team this season. Monday was Cunningham's 10th game with 20-plus points, five-plus boards and five-plus assists, matching the rest of the league's rookies combined.
For a while, Rookie of the Year belonged to Evan Mobley of the Cavs. Based on his role in Cleveland's revival this season, maybe it still does. But the numbers are pointing ever more clearly toward Cunningham, who ranks first among rookies in points, second in assists, third in steals and fourth in rebounds. Mobley ranks first in rebounds and blocks and fifth in points.
It might not be as clear-cut as Casey would like -- Mobley also ranks first in NBA.com's efficiency rating -- but there's no disputing this: Cunningham is the best rookie Casey's coached in nearly 30 years in the NBA.
"Like I said, I’ve been in it a long time, college and the pros, and he has ‘it,' that ‘it’ factor late in the game," said Casey. "Most of the time he’s going to get something good, whether it’s a kick-out, pass or score. And again, he’s just scratching the surface in his game.
"But for me, he’s Rookie of the Year. You take all the guys and put them in a line and judge them, he’s going to win just because he has that ‘it’ factor. The feel of the game, the three-point shooting, defensively he’s gotta learn not to foul, but he has all the other intangibles that you need for a winning team."
Ultimately, that's what matters to Cunningham. He didn't dream of winning awards in the NBA. He dreamt of winning championships. In his eyes, nights like Monday are only meaningful because they represent progress for the team. Asked how it feels to be the center of attention in the race for Rookie of the Year, Cunningham paused and said, "I really like how the Pistons are playing right now."
"We’re playing really hard and playing for each other, and I think that’s what’s led to us wining some games," he said. "I really appreciate my teammates trusting me with the ball, allowing me to get things going. I feel like they’re kind of looking at that race, too, and want to put me in the right positions, but at this point we're really rolling. I’m not too worried about that race as much as getting the foundation right next year for the Pistons.
"I think I deserve the award, but at the end of the day it’s a trophy. Building something good with my team would mean a lot more."
But just so we're clear, does Cunningham agree with his coach, that he's the hands-down Rookie of the Year with a month left in the season?
"Yeah, yeah, yeah," he said with the trace of a smile. "C’mon."