“It’s definitely a learning experience,” Cunningham stated. “It’s something I’ve never done before or been a part of… This game got away from us and I’m just ready for Game 2.”
Cunningham averaged 30.8 factors, 5.0 rebounds and eight.3 assists on 56/52/80 splits in 4 regular-season video games towards the Knicks. Mikal Bridges, his major defender in these video games, struggled to include the first-time All-Star, as did the Knicks’ protection total.
The playoffs, nevertheless, are a very totally different beast.
Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau responded with a tactical adjustment in Sport 1. As a substitute of Bridges, OG Anunoby was assigned to protect Cunningham, and he was saved in a field by the athletic ahead for many of the sport.
In his playoff debut, Cunningham recorded a game-high 12 assists however was held to 21 factors on 8-for-21 capturing within the Pistons’ 123-112 loss. 4 of his game-high six turnovers got here within the second half.
“OG is a good defender, but Cade means more to us than just his final point tally,” head coach J.B. Bickerstaff stated. “When you look at his assist numbers, how he created for everybody else, how he rebounds the basketball, those types of things… Obviously, we can improve on the turnovers and those types of things.”
Whereas Bridges and Anunoby have comparable wingspans, Anunoby’s 6-8, 232-pound body presents far higher physicality, visibly disrupting Cunningham. The Knicks additional stifled Cunningham by crowding the paint with a number of defenders at any time when he drove to the rim.
Defensively, Karl-Anthony Cities and Mitchell Robinson usually acted because the hedgers or “show men” on ball screens involving Cunningham. Their lively fingers disrupted the ball-handler, forcing a number of of his turnovers.
Cunningham struggled on lengthy jumpers (1-for-4 from deep), together with a number of air-balls, underscoring the impression of Anunoby’s seemingly relentless defensive strain. And though he scored 13 factors within the fourth quarter, his 6-for-17 capturing was a transparent victory for the Knicks’ protection.
“They sent bodies at me more than anything,” Cunningham stated. “They made sure that every time I came off [screens], they were checking me and sending bodies at me all the time, trying to get the ball out of my hands. They were on the same accord today; I just wasn’t able to pick them apart enough.”
Saturday marked Cunningham’s first actual style of playoff basketball. And because the Pistons’ major offensive weapon, he was the focus of the Knicks’ scouting report. Regardless of his offensive challenges, his coaches and teammates imagine he carried out admirably underneath the circumstances.
Sport 1 offered helpful classes for Cunningham, regardless of the loss. For the Pistons to contend on this collection, he should successfully apply these classes in Sport 2 and past.
“I thought he did good,” Tobias Harris stated. “For him, there’s some changes that myself and him simply talked about that he could make on the market. However total, when it comes to doing the appropriate factor for the group, he’s all the time in a pure place night time after night time.
“The guy wants to win more than anybody, wants to lead this team in the way he’s done all season long. And it’s only going to get better for him game by game with experience.”
