Cade Cunningham’s Standout Performance Against the Knicks

Cade Cunningham maneuvered around Mikal Bridges, made a swift move against Mitchell Robinson, and delivered a powerful dunk over Karl-Anthony Towns.

After his dunk, he paused for a moment to shout at the Madison Square Garden crowd, playfully claiming he was draining their energy.

This matchup involved him and Jalen Brunson, but it didn’t revolve around a clear victor this time.

Even if he might not take home the MVP title this year, Cunningham certainly looked the part last night.

He finished the game with an impressive 42 points, 13 assists, and 8 rebounds, leading the Pistons to a 126-111 win over the Knicks. This left New York struggling at 0-3 against Detroit this season.

What was particularly concerning for the Knicks was their best defender, OG Anunoby, who couldn’t offer much defense against Cunningham, especially during the third quarter. During that time, Cunningham was unstoppable, scoring 11 consecutive points in one stretch.

Cunningham shot an impressive 57.1 percent when matched against Anunoby, according to NBA tracking statistics.

Knicks coach Mike Brown tried various defenders on Cunningham later in the game, including Josh Hart and Jose Alvarado, but the outcomes were largely ineffective.

Anunoby left the locker room before the media had a chance to speak with him.

Brown commented on Cunningham’s unique ability against taller opponents, noting, “He can really create issues for teams. Small forwards typically aren’t used to seeing someone like him.”

When the Knicks managed to cut the lead to 12 points late in the game, Cunningham responded with a crucial step-back three-pointer, easing any tension in the arena.

Before the All-Star break, one of the Knicks’ main defensive strategies was to push drives toward the sidelines rather than down the middle. However, Cunningham effectively drew them back into their old habits.

“We wanted to keep the ball off the middle,” Brown noted, reflecting on their defensive struggles. “But we allowed him to get there far too often, which hurt us.”

Compounding Kansas’ challenges, Anunoby had missed the last four games prior to the break due to a painful toenail issue. Despite the removal of his entire toenail, he still faced discomfort.

Last night was certainly a challenging game for him.

He struggled significantly, scoring only eight points on 3-of-13 shooting and just 1-of-8 from beyond the arc.

As a team, the Knicks shot 8-of-35 from three-point range.

Brown acknowledged their efforts in creating open looks, particularly from deep, but lamented, “They just didn’t fall tonight.”

It was indeed an off night for the Knicks, and it was truly evident, especially in Anunoby’s performance.