Could the Pistons Be the East’s Dark Horse? Cade Cunningham’s Rise Sparks New Hope

At the dawn of this NBA season, I tossed out a thought—that the Eastern Conference wasn’t just competitive but ripe for a surprise takeover. Boy, did the Detroit Pistons grab that chance with both hands and then some. Right now, if you peek at the standings, you’ll notice something almost historic: the Pistons perched atop the East, riding a sizzling seven-game winning streak to stand at an eye-popping 9-2 record. No, this isn’t a glitch in the matrix or an outdated stat—Detroit is genuinely leading the pack.

Watching their recent game against the Sixers, the legendary voice of George Blaha dropped a nugget that hit me hard: the last time the Pistons were leading the East so deep into the season was back in April 2007. Nearly two decades ago—that’s a long wilderness to crawl out of. And if you think that’s just some flash-in-the-pan success, rewind just two years to November 2023 when Detroit endured what many consider the darkest stretch in NBA history with a record-setting losing skid. Talk about a resurrection story; this team is proof time mends even the harshest wounds.

Detroit’s renaissance isn’t a coincidence; it starts with the electric presence of Cade Cunningham, whose expanding skills as a scorer and facilitator have cultivated this stride. But this is more than a one-man show; it’s a symphony of grit, defense, and depth, all stitched together by belief. The Pistons aren’t just winning; they’re sketching a blueprint for a potential East powerhouse. Curious how they pulled off this climb? Dive in and discover what’s driving this resurgence. LEARN MORE

Early in the season I wrote that the Eastern Conference would be fun, but also a land of opportunity for a team to climb the ladder. The Detroit Pistons have sprinted to make the most of that opportunity.

That’s right, the Pistons sit on top of the Eastern Conference. Your eyes do not deceive you, there is no need to refresh your browser, a seven-game win streak has pushed them to 9-2.

I felt the impact of their start when I tuned into Pistons-Sixers over the weekend and heard the legendary George Blaha inform us that the (then) 7-2 Pistons had not been on top of the East through nine games or later since the end of the 2006-07 season — all the way back to April 18, 2007. And this is the first time the Pistons have won at least eight of their first 10 games since 2005-06 (when they were 9-1). Nearly 20 years ago.

If that is not enough for you, rewind to November 2023, when the Pistons won zero games on their way to the worst losing streak in NBA history.

Time heals everything.

DETROIT, MICHIGAN - OCTOBER 29: Cade Cunningham #2 of the Detroit Pistons reacts after a second half basket while playing the Orlando Magic at Little Caesars Arena on October 29, 2025 in Detroit, Michigan. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) — Cade Cunningham has led the Pistons to a 9-2 start. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

(Gregory Shamus via Getty Images)

It starts with Cade Cunningham

Without a doubt the heart of the Pistons is Cade Cunningham. His continued growth as a scorer and playmaker has helped steer Detroit in the right direction to start this season.

The All-Star guard is currently third in the NBA in drives per game (18.7), and it rarely feels like there is a spot on the floor that he cannot get to. In a league full of athleticism, Cunningham uses his size, poise and shiftiness to consistently keep pressure on defenses.

Whether his defender is guarding 1v1, working to recover in pick-and-roll or closing out, they are greeted with a similar fate. Head down, shoulder in chest, a straight line drive and wondering why they can’t recover back in front. His footwork also allows him to get to his spot and mix in pull-ups and stepbacks.

How important is Cunningham’s scoring for the Pistons? He averages 11.4 points in the fourth quarter on 53.4% shooting from the field.

(There’s no greater example than Cade getting 45 field-goal attempts up against the Washington Wizards on Monday night. Some may point to the word inefficiency, but I see it as a nod to an era of basketball that people get nostalgic for until it meets them at their door. The Pistons were depleted on the second night of a back-to-back and I salute the confidence to go 10 of 35 through three quarters and find a way to score 15 points in the fourth.)

His improved scoring has caught the attention of defenses. Game-plan defense is a rite of passage for young guards in the NBA, and it appears more teams are willing to be more aggressive defending Cunningham, asking their bigs to play higher on the floor and keeping two defenders on him to contain drives and get the ball out of his hands. When he looks to attack one-on-one from the perimeter, we are also seeing more teams willing to send a double team. Cunningham being second in the NBA in assists per game (9.9) is proof that he’s handling the attention well.

You can also point to the breakout year from Jalen Duren, who is benefitting from the added attention and chemistry with Cunningham.

Detroit’s dynamic duo

Cunningham and Duren have the most double-doubles of a duo in the NBA (seven a piece). In addition to getting rim runs hard in transition almost anytime he wants, Duren has long been a lob threat in pick-and-roll. But he is starting to add layers to his game. Being that lob threat draws weakside defenders, allowing Duren skip passes to the perimeter.

CadeCunningham

PG – DET – #2

JalenDuren

C – DET – #0

CadeCunningham

PG – DET – #2

JalenDuren

C – DET – #0

2025 – 2026 season

The real fun from Duren has been his improved ability on the short roll, the moments where he catches the ball near the free-throw line while rolling. If the help defender is small, Duren is not hesitating to hit first and look to finish at the rim or with a jump hook. If he sees the help early, though, Duren has shown an improved ability to spray the ball to the perimeter on his own.

Defensively, the growth has been there, too. Duren roams the baseline with a higher confidence, working to make sure he’s in position to rotate and contest at the rim. The combination of Duren and Isaiah Stewart protecting the paint has helped push the Pistons to the top of the NBA in lowest opponent field-goal percentage in the restricted area (58.6%).

Relying on defense and depth

Defense feels like the floor raiser for the Pistons early in the season. This is a physical, active bunch that works to pressure on-ball, deny off-ball and make each possession as tough as possible for the opponent. I wouldn’t call it a lockdown defense, but Detroit is working to contain and contest as much as possible. When teams want to get to off-ball movement, expect switching and working to take things away.

Ausar Thompson is the head of the snake, fourth in the NBA in deflections per game (5.0) and an absolute menace on the defensive end. Ron Holland has also delivered consistent activity and effort on that end of the floor in his second season. Last year’s formula felt like a blend of playmaking and shooting, but injuries have forced the Pistons to tap the “dog” button a lot more.

[Get more Pistons news: Detroit team feed]

Beyond the defense, the Pistons have relied on internal development and depth to build on their success from last season. No matter who is in the game, there is a feeling they know exactly what their job is and how to do it. Thompson is a consistent paint touch offensively, attacking in transition and using his athleticism to finish. Keep an eye on the continued growth of his pull-up from midrange, too, as defenses work to contain his drives. Duncan Robinson’s always ready to make a big shot. Javonte Green and Paul Reed just consistently fly around on the court.

That depth ties into the other part of Detroit’s early start: belief.

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Are Pistons among East elite?

Are there questions about the Pistons going forward? Absolutely.

Can they find the right blend of lineups to execute on both ends? Will teams continue to be more aggressive with their defense against Cunningham, forcing other Pistons to beat them? Can Detroit’s defense hold up to this degree? The Knicks and Cavaliers (and Heat and Bucks) are knocking on the door like an e-mail from a company saying, “Your bill is ready.”

But these Pistons believe in who they are and what they do, and you see that whenever they take the court. How did the Pistons even get to their ninth straight win? A corner 3-pointer from two-way guard Daniss Jenkins. It’s a credit to J.B. Bickerstaff and his staff for getting production no matter who is on the court.

One of the biggest keys to success in this league is buy-in from players, and early-season success can add a layer of belief to that buy-in that raises a team to new heights. There is a reason those DEEEE-TROIIIIIT BASKETBALLLLL chants are growing louder and louder.