The Detroit Pistons are doing what great teams do when adversity hits: they keep winning. Even without Cade Cunningham — their engine, their closer, their MVP candidate — Detroit has managed to steady itself atop the Eastern Conference. But with the season entering its final stretch and heavyweight matchups looming, the question is no longer whether the Pistons can survive without their star. It’s whether they can hold the No. 1 seed long enough for him to return.
Detroit’s resilience has been undeniable. The Pistons have won nine of their last eleven games, leaning on balanced scoring, elite defense, and the steadying presence of veterans like Tobias Harris, who led the way with 18 points in their recent 109–87 win over Minnesota. Newsday
Jalen Duren continues to anchor the interior with double‑double consistency, and role players like Daniss Jenkins and Ronald Holland II have stepped into expanded responsibilities without blinking. This is the depth Detroit spent years building — and it’s paying off.
But the margins are tightening.
Cunningham’s collapsed lung — officially diagnosed as a left lung pneumothorax — has sidelined him since March 17. The team expects to re‑evaluate him in early April, with optimism that he could return before the playoffs begin. Heavy
Until then, Detroit is navigating the most precarious part of its season without the one player who can reliably create offense in crunch time. As Sports Illustrated noted, Cunningham’s absence “shifts the balance of power in the Eastern Conference” and exposes Detroit’s offensive limitations when possessions slow down. Sports Illus…
Meanwhile, the pack behind them is accelerating.
Boston, sitting just a few games back, sees a clear opening. With Jayson Tatum healthy and the Celtics surging, analysts argue Boston should aggressively chase the top seed now that Detroit’s grip has loosened. Yahoo Sports
New York is lurking too — winners of seven of their last ten, armed with the East’s best defense since January, and benefiting from one of the conference’s softest remaining schedules. The Knicks’ momentum, paired with Cunningham’s uncertain timeline, has turned the race into a three‑team sprint. Heavy
Detroit still controls its destiny. But the upcoming slate — including matchups against Oklahoma City and other playoff‑bound teams — will test whether this roster can keep absorbing the blow of losing its star without surrendering the ground it fought all season to claim.
The Pistons have built a culture on toughness, defense, and collective belief. That identity is carrying them now. But the East is unforgiving, and every game without Cunningham tightens the vise.
Detroit doesn’t need perfection to stay on top.
They just need to keep surviving — long enough for their leader to breathe again.