Cade

Cunningham

Cunningham’s fantasy production was limited due to a one-sided contest on Friday between the Pistons and Hawks. Detroit led in this one by as many as 35 points, thus holding the former No. 1 overall pick to 23 minutes of game action. Friday marked the third time in the last five games that Cunningham finished with fewer than 20 points, which had happened only once previously this season. The Pistons will face the Celtics on Monday, which is the next time Cunningham will have a chance to put forth fantasy numbers that more closely align with the dominant ones he’s tallied so far this season.

After playing 36 minutes in Friday’s win over the Trail Blazers, Cunningham logged 32 on Saturday, spending most of the fourth quarter on the bench. The Pistons point guard is up to 12 double-doubles on the season and fifth in his last 10 games. The negative for Cunningham managers is the upcoming schedule, as Detroit plays only once in Week 8. However, this won’t be a significant issue for those competing in leagues that combine Weeks 8 and 9 to account for the NBA Cup knockout rounds.

Cunningham was the do-it-all superstar we’ve seen so far for the Pistons this season again Friday. The 24-year-old point guard filled up the stat sheet, leading the way with 29 points and nine assists. Cunningham is also getting it done on the defensive end, where he has 10 steals in three games so far this week. The Pistons close out the week with a matchup against the Bucks on Saturday.

Cunningham was held below 20 points for the second consecutive game to start December after going the entire month of November without that happening. The 24-year-old point guard had an off-night from behind the three-point line going 1-of-7 from behind the arc. Cunningham had just two turnovers and was +7 in 35 minutes in the four-point loss.

Cunningham wasn’t able to have his typical dominant scoring night, but he got the job done late with a pair of clutch buckets with less than a minute left to turn a tied game in to a four-point lead for Detroit. His scoring output was underwhelming for fantasy managers, but the rest of his night wasn’t. He set a new career high for steals and had more “stocks” than he’s ever had in a single game. It was an impressive performance for him, and he’ll look to stay hot in Milwaukee on Wednesday.

While Cunningham had another high-turnover night, committing eight, he continued to make big plays down the stretch. The Pistons’ point guard leads the NBA in fourth-quarter points, and while he only made two shots in the fourth on Saturday, Cade’s jumper with 20.2 seconds remaining gave Detroit a four-point lead. Over the past two weeks, Cunningham has provided top-10 per-game value in eight-cat formats, slightly better than his season-long value. The Pistons play four games in Week 7, starting with the Hawks on Monday.

Cunningham finished Friday’s 112-109 defeat with his second triple-double of the season. However, unlike the line he recorded in Detroit’s November 10 win over the Wizards, turnovers were an issue on Friday. Cunningham finished with a season-high eight, and there weren’t any defensive stats on the line, either. While he has been a top-20 player in nine-cat formats over the past two weeks, that’s with an average of 4.4 turnovers per game. In eight-cat, Cunningham has been a top-10 player during that stretch. While he is susceptible to the high-turnover night, the overall production compensates for that.

Detroit’s 13-game win streak came to an end on Wednesday, with the Celtics holding on for the three-point victory. Cunningham had an opportunity to tie the game with 4.4 seconds remaining after being fouled while in the act of shooting. However, after making the first two free throws, he missed the third in a difficult finish to what was a highly productive night for the star guard. Cunningham is providing second-round value in eight- and nine-cat formats, ranking slightly higher in the former.

The Pistons earned their 13th straight win, thanks largely to another productive outing from their most productive player. Cunningham followed a 29-point, 10-assist performance with another 20-point double-double, marking his seventh in a row. Zero production from the three-point line limited him to his fewest points since November 1st, and he finished with fewer than 10 assists for the first time since November 3rd. Still, he was a monster on the glass and ended with another strong performance. He remains one of the top guards in fantasy leagues this season.

The Pistons entered Saturday’s game having lost their last 13 meeting with the Bucks, and ending that streak was a point of emphasis for Cunningham and company. They got the job done, and the point guard led the way to extend Detroit’s win streak to 12. He was highly efficient, shooting over 50 percent from the field and finishing two rebounds shy of a triple-double. Cunningham and the Pistons play four games during Week 6, starting with the Pacers on Monday.