Cade

Cunningham

Cunningham is dealing with a left quad contusion, which he suffered during Thursday’s loss to the Spurs. If he’s unable to play against the Nets, the Pistons will likely turn to Daniss Jenkins to fill the void. Given the matchup, Jenkins would be a worthwhile streamer.

Though this was another inefficient performance for Cunningham, he was better as a scorer than he was in Cleveland on Tuesday, when he was held to just 10 points. However, over his last five games, he has averaged 5.2 turnovers per game. Turnovers have been a weak category for him all season, but this has been a rough stretch by his standards. Still, the counting stats were strong, and he gets an easier matchup against the Nets in their next outing on Saturday.

The good news for Cunningham managers is that he recorded 14 assists, the most in a game for him since January 19, when he hit that number in a win over the Celtics. The Pistons’ point guard has reached double figures in assists in six of his last seven games. The negatives on Tuesday were the shooting and the turnovers, with Cunningham shooting 25 percent from the field and turning the ball over five times. Nights like Tuesday haven’t been the norm for the MVP candidate, so fantasy managers should not be overly concerned.

Cunningham continues to power the Pistons’ offense this season. The 24-year-old point guard was +14 in 37 minutes. Cunningham has provided third overall per game value over the last two weeks. The Pistons have three games in the upcoming week, starting with a matchup against the Cavaliers on Tuesday.

Unfortunately for Cunningham and the Pistons, the MVP candidate was not around for the conclusion of Friday’s game. With the Pistons trailing by four with 1:56 remaining, he was whistled for his sixth foul, his third disqualification of the season. However, Cade’s exit did not spell doom for the Pistons. Daniss Jenkins hit three free throws with 4.7 seconds remaining to force overtime, and Detroit would win it in the extra session. Cunningham finished three assists shy of a triple-double, another stellar stat line for the Pistons’ point guard. Detroit will look to end Week 18 on a high note when they visit the Magic on Sunday.

While Cunningham was responsible for eight turnovers, the overall stat line should help compensate for that. Over the past month, the Pistons’ point guard has been a top-10 player in eight-cat formats, according to Basketball Monster. Cunningham has been included in early Most Valuable Player conversations, and with good reason. He’s been a highly productive lead option on the team with the league’s best record, and some of the other expected contenders may not be eligible due to the 65-game requirement when it’s time to vote.

Cunningham couldn’t get much going against the Spurs defense, finishing with 16 points on 26 field goal attempts. He was still able to record 10 assists and only had three turnovers. Cunningham has been second overall in per game value over the last two weeks. The Pistons’ next game is Wednesday against the Thunder.

On the heels of a sublime 42-point effort against the Knicks earlier this week, Cunningham served as more of a facilitator against the free-falling Bulls, dishing out double-digit assists for the second straight contest. Detroit didn’t need to lean on him down the home stretch as they pulled away for a relatively easy win. The 24-year-old superstar has paced the Eastern Conference-leading Pistons with 30.3 points, 8.3 rebounds, 10.5 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.5 blocks over his last four games. Simply put, he’s one of the most impactful all-around contributors in the entire fantasy landscape.

With Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart suspended, the Pistons entered Madison Square Garden as underdogs Thursday night. Shorthanded or otherwise, Cunningham proceeded to carry Detroit to a 15-point victory, its third of the season over the Knicks. The 24-year-old point guard was aggressive and never let up, dropping 42 points and 13 assists on New York in the process. He’s provided second-round per game value this season, according to Basketball Monster.

Cunningham remained hot to help Detroit win a third straight game to enter the All-Star break. He was able to match his season high for three-pointers while also shooting efficiently from the floor. Cunningham’s excellent season has Detroit atop the Eastern conference entering the break, and he’ll continue to be elite in fantasy basketball for the rest of the season.