Pistons Cade Cunningham Joins Luka Doncic in Rare Company

In the few games out of the All-Star break, one of the biggest storylines for the Detroit Pistons has been the play of Cade Cunningham. The former No. 1 pick has put together a string of strong performances to try and end the year on a good note. 

Cunningham's best performance out of the break came on Monday night against the New York Knicks. He posted a stat line of 32 points, five rebounds, and eight assists on 52% shooting. This outing wasn't enough to get the Pistons a win after a controversial no-call in the final seconds. 

Following this performance, Cunningham found himself in some exclusive company with Luka Doncic. That said, it's not a category any player wants to find themself in. 

Monday marked the 12th time this season Cunningham scored at least 30 points and the Pistons lost. The only player with more such occasions is Doncic, who has 14 for the Dallas Mavericks. 

The matchup with the Knicks was the second time within a week that Cunningham notched at least 30 in a loss. In the first game after the break, he went off for 30 points, five rebounds, and eight assists against the Indiana Pacers. 

While it hasn't translated to wins, Cunningham has come out of the gates strong. Monty Williams has praised him for his work, citing that it's clear he got a lot of reps in over All-Star break. 

In the four games since the break, Cunningham is averaging 28.5 PPG, 5.5 RPG, and 6.3 APG. He's posting these numbers on good efficiency, shooting 58.9% from the field and 57.1% from beyond the arc.