Following Sunday night's gritty 111-108 win over the surprising Philadelphia 76ers , the Detroit Pistons are now at the top of the Eastern Conference standings with an 8-2 record.
While it's still just ten games into the season, it's a promising sign for the Pistons franchise and the Detroit faithful, especially since it was only a couple of years ago that these very Pistons made headlines by losing 28 straight games, tying what is probably the least-favorable NBA record.
At the forefront of this Pistons resurgence is none other than fifth-year star guard Cade Cunningham . From putting up 17.4 points per game as a rookie on a 23-win team to scoring 26.1 points a night and being an All-Star and an All-NBA selection on a 44-win team that was good for sixth in the East, Cunningham is quietly carving out a spot for himself among the NBA's elite.
By all indications, Cunningham has taken the proverbial leap into superstardom and maintains that his belief in himself never wavered, even through the difficult seasons , while also crediting the city of Detroit and the Pistons franchise for not losing faith.
"My faith in myself, knowing that I was going to be successful in the NBA, knowing that I was going to do everything it took to be successful, and I got lucky and fell into a franchise and a city that has the same mentality that I felt it took for me to take the next step," Cunningham said following the win over the Sixers, where he had 26 points and 11 assists. "It's been a hell of a ride, there's been a lot of ups and downs."
To his credit, Cunningham understands that there's still a lot of basketball to go this season and that there's a greater goal ahead.
"It's still early though, so I'm not above myself because we're 8-2. I think this is something that we all wanted, but we want something bigger than this, so we just want to keep our heads down and keep working," he added.
If the first ten games of the season are going to be any indication. In that case, the Pistons are on track to improve on last season's incredible turnaround. It's thanks in large part to Cunningham, who is seemingly bound for another All-Star and All-NBA campaign.
Cunningham is currently averaging 25.6 points, 9.8 assists, 4.7 rebounds and a steal per game. If he can keep this up, it's going to be the third straight season that he puts up over 20 points and seven assists per game. It all but solidifies the fact that the Motor City has found its main guy and truth be told, it's been a while since they've had a star of this magnitude.
Perhaps the last time that the Pistons had a star of this caliber was in 2019, when they had post-Lob City Blake Griffin , who evolved from a high-flying dunker to a playmaking stretch four. That season, Griffin averaged 24.5 points and 7.5 rebounds to lead the Pistons to their first postseason appearance since 2015-2016.
In the early 2000s, the Pistons were perennial contenders and even won a title , but it wasn't thanks to one player; rather, it was an entire starting five that consisted of Chauncey Billups , Rip Hamilton, Ben Wallace, Rasheed Wallace, and Tayshaun Prince .
Going back even further, Detroit was also home to stars like Grant Hill in the 1990s and Isiah Thomas, who led the Pistons to two championships in the 1980s. Case in point, it's been a while since the Pistons had a legitimate go-to-guy, and in this era of Detroit basketball, that guy is Cunningham.
If there was a season where there was a legitimate shot for the Pistons to come out of the East, this would be that season. With injuries to guys like Jayson Tatum and Tyrese Haliburton , the conference is pretty wide open, and the Pistons, so far, have shown that they can compete with the best teams in the East.
For them to be able to make it back to the finals, though, it's going to take more than just another incredible season from Cade Cunningham . Jalen Duren will need to establish himself as one of the best big men in the league today. Ausar Thompson will need to reach another level of defensive intensity.
On the other hand, players like Tobias Harris , Duncan Robinson , and Caris LeVert will all need to contribute at a high level. At the same time, a breakout season from Ron Holland would be ideal. Another key to the Pistons' success could also be the return of Jaden Ivey , who was averaging over 17 points per game before suffering an injury last season.
Obviously, there are numerous factors to consider when it comes to the Pistons returning to the pinnacle of NBA basketball. Currently, the team appears to be well-positioned to contend, so it's up to them to maintain that level of play.
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Nov 10, 2025, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
