Can the Pistons Survive Without Cade? Plus, Lakers and Luka Surge!

Zach Lowe and Kirk Goldsberry discuss a range of late-season NBA developments, from Cade Cunningham's injury derailing the Pistons' story to surges by the Lakers and Hawks, All-NBA award chaos tied to the 65-game rule, and tensions in Milwaukee.

Cade Cunningham's Injury Hits Pistons Hard

Cade Cunningham suffered a collapsed lung and will be reevaluated in two weeks, with an average return of 11 games based on similar cases like CJ McCollum's. He's at 60 games played, short of the 65-game threshold for All-NBA eligibility. The Pistons, one of the season's feel-good stories, hold a four-game lead in the loss column over Boston for the East's top seed, with the tiebreaker. Without Cade, their offense ranks near the league's bottom; lineups with Dennis Schröder, Malik Beasley, and Tobias Harris struggle for creation and shooting. This leaves them vulnerable in a chaotic East bottom (seeds 5-10), where teams like Toronto, Atlanta, Miami, Orlando, Philly, and Charlotte could upset them in round one, even if Cade returns compromised. The hosts project Detroit at 6-8 or 7-7 over their final 14 games, testing if Boston catches them.