The Detroit Pistons have rattled off four straight wins after their slowest stretch of the season, a period that saw them lose three of five games and miss out on the NBA Cup. The brief rest that followed appears to have paid dividends, as Detroit dismantled a gritty Atlanta squad before grinding out an impressive road win in Boston on Monday.
Three takeaways from the last week of winning:
1. How clutch has Cade been?
We know who the Pistons are going to in crunch time, but just how good has Cade Cunningham been when it matters most this season?
His two made shots in the final two minutes against Boston were a microcosm of what we’ve seen, dating back to the middle of last season.
BOSTON, MA - DECEMBER 15: Cade Cunningham #2 of the Detroit Pistons shoots a three point basket as Hugo Gonzalez #28 of the Boston Celtics plays defense during the game on December 15, 2025 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA - DECEMBER 15: Cade Cunningham #2 of the Detroit Pistons shoots a three point basket as Hugo Gonzalez #28 of the Boston Celtics plays defense during the game on December 15, 2025 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images)
NBAE via Getty Images
Through 16 clutch games this season, Cunningham is firmly among the league’s best. His 26 made field goals in clutch situations trail only Shai Gilgeous-Alexander — an incredible note considering how many fourth quarters Shai hasn’t needed to play. Cunningham’s 12 clutch assists rank second, behind only Jalen Johnson (15), while Detroit owns a +43 point differential with Cade on the floor in those moments, good for seventh-best in the NBA.
The one area for improvement is outside shooting. Cunningham is just 1-for-8 from three in clutch situations this season. While the Pistons have other options when a three is needed, Cade taking another step in that area would truly be the cherry on top.
2. Defense, too?
Cunningham’s stellar — and somehow still quiet — start to the season deserves another spotlight, particularly for his work on the defensive end.
In ESPN’s most recent NBA power rankings, where Detroit was slotted second overall, Vincent Goodwill noted that opponents are shooting under 41% when Cunningham is the primary defender. That mark leads all NBA players with at least 300 field-goal attempts defended.
For a player who ranks fifth in usage rate entering Thursday, Cunningham’s two-way impact is especially impressive. Detroit as a team owns the second-best defensive rating in the league, trailing only Oklahoma City, and has been near the top for much of the season. Cade’s growth as a defender is a testament to the culture of defense and physicality JB Bickerstaff has established but also to him for wanting to be a two-way star.
3. LeVert vs. Ivey
Detroit brought in Caris LeVert during the offseason to provide much-needed veteran presence and scoring after losing Dennis Schröder, Tim Hardaway Jr., and Malik Beasley. It took some time for LeVert to find his footing, but he now looks comfortable within the rotation.
Since Jaden Ivey’s return, LeVert’s minutes haven’t dipped much, hovering around 20 per night — nearly identical to Ivey’s workload now and Dannis Jenkins has essentially been bodied out of the rotation due to the influx of depth.
Dec 3, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Detroit Pistons guard Caris LeVert (8) is surrounded by guard AJ Green (20), Milwaukee Bucks guard Ryan Rollins (13) and center Myles Turner (3) in the second half at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Michael McLoone-Imagn Images
Dec 3, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Detroit Pistons guard Caris LeVert (8) is surrounded by guard AJ Green (20), Milwaukee Bucks guard Ryan Rollins (13) and center Myles Turner (3) in the second half at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Michael McLoone-Imagn Images
Michael McLoone-Imagn Images
With both players likely to maintain similar roles the rest of the season, it will be interesting to see how Bickerstaff staggers their minutes or experiments with playing them together more. Each brings something different to the table: LeVert as a steady half-court scorer and shooter, and Ivey as a dynamic offensive spark on or off the ball, especially in transition. It’s a good problem to have, but something to monitor.