The Detroit Pistons won their third consecutive game after defeating the Sacramento Kings 136-127.
Cade Cunningham finished the game with 23 points, 14 assists, and seven rebounds. While Cunningham filled the stat sheet for Detroit, there was another stat that stood out.
He had nine turnovers in the game, which was a season-high. Fortunately for Cunningham, his turnovers did not impact the end result of the game and his team was able to find a way to secure another victory and add to their win total.
Through 27 games, Cunningham is averaging 3.9 turnovers a game which leads the team and he is tied for second in the league in that category.
Cade Cunningham, Primary Ball Handler for Detroit
With Cunningham being the guy that mostly handles the ball for the Pistons, turnovers are somewhat expected.
Last season, Cunningham averaged 4.4 turnovers a game which was a career-high and he’s averaged over 3.2 turnovers since entering the league. While the turnovers can be a negative part of the game, that does not take away from the fact that Cunningham is a talented basketball player and a leader on the court.
Though Cunningham leads his team in turnovers, he also leads the team in assists at 9.4 a game. So he knows how to find the open guy and make the right reads on the offensive side. There are just times where those reads may not have been the right decision, and that’s okay.
Turnovers are part of the game and even the elite players commit turnovers.
Cade Cunningham’s Usage Rate Factoring into Turnovers
This season, Cunningham has a 30.8 usage percentage through the 27 games he’s appeared in, according to statmuse.com. The 24-year-old has the ball a lot in his hands when he is on the court.
Whether he’s looking to score or looking for an open teammate, Cunningham understands the offense runs through him. Coty M. Davis, Pistons beat writer for The Detroit News, wrote about Cunningham’s turnover tendencies before the regular season began.
“Turnovers are the lone knock against Cunningham as he enters his fifth year,” Davis wrote.” “He averaged 3.5 turnovers during his first three seasons. Last year, Cunningham registered a career-high 4.4 turnovers, finishing second to Trae Young, who averaged a league-high 4.7. In the playoffs, he totaled 32 giveaways in six games.”
“Whether ill-advised reads or passes, turnovers are an individual concern for Cunningham. However, the issue also relates to the Pistons’ need to pair their All-Star guard with a player who can help reduce his ball-handling responsibilities at times.”
As Davis wrote, it would take a lot off Cunningham as a ball handler when there is another player with the ball in their hands. Detroit does have a few players who can handle the ball. Jaden Ivey and Caris LeVert are a few players to mention who can handle the ball as well if they’re on the court with Cunningham.
Cunningham is having a MVP-caliber season and is set to make his second consecutive All-Star game appearance. Not to mention he’s helped lead the Pistons to the best record in the Eastern Conference.
Detroit is in good hands with Cunningham and he will continue to improve on all aspects of his game.
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