Cade Cunningham proves his clutch prowess once again

Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham delivered a decisive fourth-quarter performance to lead his team to an eight-point victory over the Boston Celtics in their season opener. Cunningham recorded eight points, two rebounds, and two assists in the final period alone, converting three of his five field goal attempts. After shooting 5-of-13 through the opening three frames, Cunningham adjusted late to secure the win alongside late scoring support from Ausar Thompson.

PistonPowered notes that Cunningham ranked among the NBA's top ten in clutch scoring last season, though he struggled with turnovers during Detroit's postseason exit against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Cunningham worked on his conditioning during the offseason to improve his fourth-quarter execution. The writer suggests that developing reliable closing scoring options such as Thompson and Jalen Duren will be critical to relieving the clutch burden on Cunningham as the regular season progresses.