Pistons’ Cade Cunningham: Series vs. Cavs ‘a thin line still’ despite 2-0 lead

The Pistons are up 2-0. They are not acting like it.

Detroit took control of its second-round series with a 107-97 home win over Cleveland in Game 2, pushing its postseason win streak to five. It is the franchise’s best playoff run since 2008.

But inside the locker room, the message has not changed.

“It taught us how fragile and how thin of a line is that comes between winning and losing,” Cade Cunningham said, via ESPN’s Eric Woodyard. “So, being up 2-0 right now, we know it’s a thin line still. So, it’s one game at a time.”

That perspective is not coming out of nowhere.

The Pistons were staring at elimination just days ago, trailing by 24 points in Game 6 against Orlando before rallying to save their season and eventually win the series. Cunningham said that experience reshaped how this group views everything.

“Being down 3-1… you realize how long a playoff series can be and it’s a war more so than just a battle,” he said. “So, just trying to find the best way to execute.”

Cunningham led the way again in Game 2 with 25 points and 10 assists, including 12 in the fourth quarter. His step-back three with just over two minutes left helped seal it.

“I mean, Cade is just fabulous,” coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. “He’s the killer, closer and all of the adjectives you want to talk about. Like, he’s it.”

Cunningham has now scored at least 20 points in all 15 of his playoff games, joining rare company. During Detroit’s five-game run, he is averaging 31.4 points and 7.4 assists while shooting better than 55 percent from deep.

He is not doing it alone.

Tobias Harris added 21 points and seven rebounds in Game 2. Duncan Robinson hit five threes for the second straight game, finishing with 17 points. Daniss Jenkins gave Detroit a lift off the bench with 14 points, six rebounds and four assists.

Detroit closed on a 28-16 run after Cleveland briefly grabbed a fourth-quarter lead, showing the same poise that carried it out of the first round.

The numbers say the Pistons are in control. Teams that go up 2-0 win the series more than 90 percent of the time.

Detroit is not interested in that.

“We just know, just last series we was down 3-1,” Jenkins said. “So, we’re gonna keep swinging. … Job’s not finished.”