Mar 21, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (2) brings the ball up court against the Dallas Mavericks during the second half at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Cade Cunningham Nearly Notches New Career-High vs Mavericks

Originally posted on Detroit Pistons on SI
By Justin Grasso | Last updated Nov 2, 2025 7:03 PM ET

The Detroit Pistons are starting to see their star guard Cade Cunningham heat up.

The first stretch of games didn’t mirror what Cunningham put on display last season or during the preseason. The one-time All-Star struggled with his overall shooting and was turning the ball over at a high rate.

Over the past two games, Cunningham kept turnovers to a minimum and notched high-scoring double-doubles. During Saturday’s action against the Dallas Mavericks in Mexico City, Cunningham nearly notched a new career-high in assists against Dallas.

Back in December of last season, Cunningham produced 18 assists in 42 minutes of action. At the time, he posted a line of 20 points, 18 assists, and 11 rebounds against the Miami Heat.

Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

When facing the Mavs on Saturday, Cunningham tied his career-high in assists by dishing out 18. He also scored 21 points and came down with six rebounds in 37 minutes. The Pistons defeated the Mavericks 122-110 to advance to 4-2 on the year.

Through Detroit’s first four games of action, Cunningham averaged 20.3 points. He was shooting at an uncharacteristic 36 percent from the field and hitting on just 26 percent of his threes.

In the playmaking department, Cunningham was dishing out 7.8 assists per game, but turning the ball over 5.5 times per game.

This week, Cunningham has bounced back. When the Pistons hosted the Orlando Magic on Wednesday, Cunningham checked in for 35 minutes. He shot 50 percent from the field to score 30 points. He achieved a double-double by passing out 10 assists. The Pistons picked up their first winning record of the year with a 135-116 victory.

Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

Along with his near-career night against the Mavericks, Cunningham drained 43 percent of his shots from the field. He accounted for 21 points and also came down with six rebounds while grabbing three steals on the defensive end of the floor.

After a 122-110 win over Dallas, Cunningham and the Pistons improved to 4-2 on the year. They’ll get Sunday off, before returning to the action on Monday night to face the Memphis Grizzlies.

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This article first appeared on Detroit Pistons on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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