Cade Cunningham Reacts to Pistons' NBA Playoff Elimination with Game 7 Loss to Cavs
The Detroit Pistons' tremendous season came to a disappointing end in a Game 7 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday.
Afterwards, star point guard Cade Cunningham didn't sugarcoat how it felt to get blown out at home.
"That game sucked," Cunningham said. "Being back home, definitely wanted to get this win for the fans. Reminded me of last year, losing on the home court. It's not a great feeling."
While the ending was disappointing, the Pistons had another tremendous year of growth, and it's hard to believe that just two years ago, they had their worst season in franchise history.
This year, Detroit had its first 60-win season in 20 years and won a playoff series for the first time since 2008.
Even with all the positives, Cunningham feels the Pistons left a lot on the table after finishing the regular season at the top of the Eastern Conference.
"There was a great opportunity this season to move forward and to continue to experience new things that we hadn't been exposed to. Fell short," Cunningham told reporters. "We were right there but we fell short. I think that chip and that sting is going to sit for a while. Gotta work through it and continue to grow."
Cunningham put together the best season of his young career and even emerged as an MVP candidate. It's clear he's one of the best players in the league, and it wouldn't be a surprise to see him take home the NBA's most coveted individual award in the near future.
Still, there's plenty of growth to do all around, including for Cunningham, who had just 13 points on Sunday.
It's impossible to discuss the Pistons shortcomings without mentioning the lackluster player of Jalen Duren, who put up just 10.5 points per game after averaging nearly double that in the regular season. Duren was even benched in pivotal moments throughout the series against the Cavs.
The Pistons will also hope to see some more development from their young players, such as Ausar Thompson. While his defense is second to none, his offense, or lack thereof, was noticeable during the postseason.
The coaching staff and front office will address the team's flaws in due time, but for now, Cunningham and his teammates will sit with the crushing loss for a few weeks.
