The MVP case of Detroit Pistons' point guard Cade Cunningham continues to gain significant momentum. The Pistons just finished defeating the Orlando Magic 106-92 on the road. This marks the most regular-season wins at 45 for Detroit since 2007-08, and the Pistons' All-Star was a major reason why.
Cunningham had another impressive performance with 29 points, 11 assists, six rebounds, and two steals. He even stepped up defensively, taking on the challenge of guarding Magic forward Paolo Banchero. Pistons' head coach J.B. Bickerstaff has been a big advocate for Cunningham as an MVP candidate. He continued that campaign to the media after the Pistons' victory in Orlando.
“He's special because of the type of person that he is. He's special because of the type of teammate that he is. He's a blessing to be with and work with every single day,” Bickerstaff explained. “The basketball skills speak for themselves. There's nothing on the floor that he can't do on both ends of the floor. He can score it, he can share it, he can manipulate, he can get stops, block shots, and get steals. Whatever you want him to do on the basketball court, he's capable of, and it's not hollow. Everything he does, he has winning in mind.”
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander remains the current betting favorite for the coveted MVP award. Cunningham is currently third in most rankings. There is still plenty of regular season left for Cunningham to make his case, despite the rumblings for the Thunder guard to win the award in back-to-back seasons for Oklahoma City.
Gilgeous-Alexander missed the last nine games due to injury. If he misses six more games, he will no longer be eligible for MVP. Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic also missed extended time due to a knee injury. Jokic can only miss one more game before his eligibility is up. The Nuggets have also dropped to the fifth seed in the Western Conference after going 4-7 through February.
Cunningham has 23 regular-season games left to make his case. He is currently averaging 25.4 points, 9.8 assists, and 5.8 rebounds through the 2025-26 regular season. Those numbers rank him top-15 in scoring and second-best in assists. Cunningham has also totaled 33 double-doubles this season as the Pistons' lead guard.
His exceptional production has helped lift Detroit to a 45-14 record. This places them first in the Eastern Conference and with the best winning percentage throughout the NBA. Detroit has put together a tremendous turnaround since drafting Cunningham. They have put their days as one of the worst losing teams behind them with the success they have earned this season and last season.
Cunningham has also played on many nationally televised stages to help put his games out more publicly to league voters. The Pistons have eight more nationally televised games before the season is over. The Pistons must continue surging as the best team in the league record-wise, with elite-level production from their 2026 All-Star starter. Cunningham can carve a legitimate path to becoming the first Pistons player to win MVP in franchise history.
