Sunday night marked the last game of the 2025-26 season for almost every team in the NBA. With an opportunity to achieve something truly remarkable, despite Cade Cunningham‘s earlier comments, the Detroit Pistons made the most of it.
With a 133-121 victory over the Indiana Pacers, the Pistons improved to 60-22 on the season, ending the regular season as the best team in the East. By doing so, Detroit notched its first 60-win campaign since the 2005-06 season (64-18). In light of the accomplishment, Cade Cunningham had some encouraging words to sum up the Pistons’ season during his postgame interview.
“We’ve had a lot of fun this year,” Cunningham shared. “We’ve bonded off the court. We’ve taken care of each other. I hear from other guys that haven’t been with this team their whole careers, like me, and some of the guys. But like, they say this is special; you don’t find this everywhere. Over the year, we’ve all come to realize that. So we’re going to savor it and try to extend it as long as we can.”
Cade Cunningham’s response demonstrates his growth as a leader. Now, with the team set to enjoy home-court advantage heading into the playoffs, the Pistons’ superstar had some words for the fans, too.
“Just come on back out. Be loud for us. Let’s get some wins.”
Sunday night’s win marks only the third time in franchise history that the team has notched a 60-win season. Given how promising this core has been, there are great expectations for them to make a deep run in the postseason.
Cade Cunningham Is Ready For The Playoffs
As the top-seeded team in the East, the Detroit Pistons are viewed as one of the favorites to make it out of the conference and contend for the NBA title. Although the Pistons are a young team, Cade Cunningham displayed utter confidence in this unit.
“Playoffs, man. Excited about it. It’s been a great regular season, now it’s time for the real fun,” Cunningham stated.
When asked how different the environment would be, the superstar responded:
“It’s going to be no different than last year. Besides, we have more experience. Just a better team, a better feeling for our system. We’ve got a chip on our shoulder a little more than last year. I’m excited for the city. We’re bringing playoff basketball back. We can’t wait.”
Last year, the Pistons were a dark horse in the East. In just one season, the Pistons have enjoyed a meteoric rise to the top, positioning themselves as genuine title contenders.
With the development of players like Jalen Duren and a deeper roster, the Pistons are primed to make some noise in the postseason. Given that Cade Cunningham has also miraculously returned from injury late in the season, Detroit will benefit from going into the first round with a completely healthy roster, making them significantly more dangerous.
