Cade Cunningham dishes 9 assists on Wednesday

Cunningham had another fine game as he filled the stat sheet and led the Pistons to another win to start the season. However, after turning the ball over five times in the win over the Celtics on Tuesday, he had seven turnovers against the Heat on Friday. Even opposing coaches like the Heat’s Erik Spolstra have pointed out that Cunningham isn’t necessarily a bad ball-handler, but commits a lot of turnovers thanks to almost always having the ball in his hands. That doesn’t offer much comfort to fantasy managers with Cunningham in nine-category leagues as he’s likely to be towards the top of the league in turnovers this year.

Cunningham was at the controls for Detroit as they kicked off their exhibition slate with nearly every key piece of their rotation, with the exception of center Jalen Duren, who recently signed a five-year, $200 million contract following a tumultuous offseason that came on the heels of a disappointing playoff performance. There are legitimate questions about whether Detroit’s decision not to add any secondary scoring or playmaking help for Cunningham this offseason will eventually backfire. However, it virtually guarantees that he’ll be in line for another high-volume offensive season. Cunningham should be a borderline first-round pick in all upcoming fantasy drafts.

The most important note here is the start time. Typically, there are two night games on opening night, but this game will tip off at 3 p.m. ET. Managers will have to set their lineups earlier than usual. There are still two night games, with the defending-champion Knicks hosting the new-look 76ers, which will be followed by a Western Conference Finals rematch, with the Spurs hosting the Thunder. All three games will be broadcasted on NBC and Peacock. Other nationally-televised games for the first week have been revealed as well, and the full schedule will be released this week.

Gilgeous-Alexander and Jokić were first-team selections on all 100 ballots, while Wembanyama was selected on 99. Unsurprisingly, they were the three finalists for league MVP, with Gilgeous-Alexander winning the award for a second consecutive season. Dončić and Cunningham, who needed waivers from the league to be eligible for postseason honors, round out the first team.

Efficiency was an issue for Cunningham throughout the Cleveland series, but he had his worst showing in Game 7. While the Pistons’ point guard committed a respectable three turnovers, he was 0-of-7 from beyond the arc. Given Detroit’s limitations on offense, they can’t afford for Cunningham not to be at his best when the lights shine brightest. However, the end should not take away from Cade’s play throughout the season. A likely All-NBA selection, he offers first-round fantasy value in formats that either don’t count or punt turnovers.

Cunningham did not deliver the cleanest performance on Friday, committing seven turnovers, but his play was good enough to help the Pistons force a decisive Game 7 on Sunday. The Pistons’ star didn’t have the best night shooting-wise, either, but that was unsurprising based on how Cunningham has played throughout the series. In the first five games, he shot 41.7 percent from the field and was slightly worse in Game 6. But the Pistons’ “others” stepped up, and now Cunningham and company will host a Game 7 for the second time this postseason.

The Pistons led by nine with three minutes left in regulation, but blew that lead and lost by four in overtime. Cunningham dropped 39 points in Game 5, but it wasn’t enough as the Pistons fell behind 3-2 in the series. After a Donovan Mitchell three-pointer gave the Cavaliers a five-point lead in overtime, Cunningham committed one of his six turnovers. Max Strus picked his pocket in the backcourt and found Mitchell streaking in for a layup to put the Cavs up by seven, effectively putting the game on ice.

Cunningham logged his least impressive stat line of the series on Monday. In his 39 minutes, he tallied five or more assists for the third consecutive game and was held under 20 points for the first time this postseason. Cunningham’s six assists were unspectacular, more than insignificant. However, he didn’t have his usual impact in Monday’s loss. Detroit will be counting on its All-Star guard to lead the way in Game 5.

Cunningham finished Game 3 with the second triple-double of his postseason career. However, similar to the first, which was recorded in Game 4 of last year’s first-round series against the Knicks, turnovers were a problem. Cunningham racked up eight turnovers on Saturday, including two on consecutive possessions late in the fourth quarter. Detroit still had chances to win Game 3, a testament to the positives Cunningham brought to the table. However, they need to find a way to take some of the pressure off their playmaker, as inconsistent production from anyone other than Tobias Harris doesn’t do Cunningham any favors. Game 4 is on Monday night, with Detroit holding a 2-1 series lead.

Cunningham closed the show with a stellar 12-point fourth quarter in Thursday’s contest to help the Pistons take a 2-0 series lead, with his late three-pointer to put Detroit up by nine points with 2:12 left serving as the dagger. He’d ultimately finish with more points and assists than in Game 1, while his three stocks in 42 minutes were also noteworthy. Cunningham has been fantastic throughout the postseason and will have a chance to remain productive in Game 3.