Medical expert explains why Cade Cunningham's situation isn't as scary as it sounds

Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham's latest injury sounds scary. 

On Thursday, the 24-year-old guard was diagnosed with a collapsed left lung. He's expected to miss at least two weeks (eight games) before being reevaluated.

That sounds alarming, but it shouldn't be season-ending. In a story published after the news broke, Dr. Juanita Mora told CBS Sports' Brad Botkin that Cunningham should quickly rebound from the injury. 

Medical expert expands on why she's confident Cade Cunningham will get healthy soon

"Unless there are underlying risk factors like heart disease or anything else that may make them more prone to other complications, these guys are so athletic, and their lung capacity is such that they can bounce back like crazy," the Chicago-based physician and member of the American Lung Association board of directors said. 

Plus, a collapsed lung is usually one of those diagnoses that isn't as bad as it sounds. 

"In most cases, that's correct," Mora said. "It's just air pressing up on the lung. For [Cunningham], this sounds like a mild case. So it's usually outpatient. You're just going to follow it, make sure symptoms [shortness of breath, chest pain and back pain] aren't getting worse. 

"If symptoms aren't getting worse, you follow up in two weeks and see if the lung has expanded on its own and just completely healed itself, which in a young man like him, who is healthy and normal, is most likely the scenario that's going to occur. The body is going to heal on its own." 

Now, in severe cases, when air begins leaking into the space between the lung and the chest wall and can't get back into the lungs, a tube has to be inserted into the chest. Botkin noted former Charlotte Bobcats forward Gerald Wallace needed one during the 2008-09 season. (The Bobcats are now called the Charlotte Hornets.)  

But again, Cunningham's case doesn't seem that severe. Per ESPN, the Pistons believe he could be ready for the playoffs, which begin on April 18. 

In the meantime, Detroit must manage without its leading scorer, Cunningham (24.5 points per game, No. 13 in the NBA). Entering Wednesday, the Pistons (49-19) were first in the Eastern Conference ahead of the Boston Celtics (46-23). 

When Cunningham is healthy again, that will be a sigh of relief for Detroit.