James Harden Makes Cade Cunningham Statement After Pistons-Clippers

Feb 24, 2025; Detroit, Michigan, USA; LA Clippers guard James Harden (1) defends against Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (2) during the first half at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Reginek-Imagn Images David Reginek-Imagn Images

James Harden Makes Cade Cunningham Statement After Pistons-Clippers

Originally posted on Detroit Pistons on SI
By Justin Grasso | Last updated Feb 25, 2025 5:22 PM ET

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For the first time this season, James Harden went toe-to-toe with Cade Cunningham. In the past, the Detroit Pistons’ young star played for teams that struggled a ton against a squad like the Los Angeles Clippers.

On Monday night, the Pistons snapped a 10-game losing streak against the Clippers. Once again, Cunningham had an impressive outing as he continued to put together a string of star performances.

On the other side, Harden is left impressed as the Clippers witnessed 36 minutes of Cunningham up close.

"He’s finally healthy, finally has some pieces he can work with,” Harden told reporters. “As a result, he’s playing like an All-Star, like one of the best players in the league.”

James Harden on Cunningham:

"He’s finally healthy, finally has some pieces he can work with. As a result, he’s playing like an All-Star, like one of the best players in the league.

"He’s done an unbelievable job this year, and he’s going to continue to get better." #Pistons
— Coty M. Davis (@CotyDavis_24) February 25, 2025

"He’s done an unbelievable job this year, and he’s going to continue to get better."

Cunningham joined Harden in San Francisco for NBA All-Star Weekend. While the game’s new tournament format limited Cunningham’s playing time to just five minutes, earning the nod itself was still a major accomplishment for Cunningham, who has been through a lot since entering the league.

Through his first three seasons, Cunningham struggled to stay healthy. Even when he was on the floor, the Pistons remained one of the NBA’s worst teams through that three-year stretch. As a result, Cunningham was earning more criticism than anything.

This year, the narrative is different, and players like Harden are recognizing Cunningham as a true budding star. In 53 games, Cunningham has posted averages of 26 points, 10 assists, and six rebounds. He’s knocking down threes at a 37 percent clip and has put the Pistons in a position to potentially make a playoff run this season.

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

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