The last time the Detroit Pistons won an NBA Playoff game, Cade Cunningham was 6 years old.
There’s no telling what he was doing that day, but no one could’ve expected what came next.
Since that May 26, 2008 game, nearly 17 years have gone by.
Detroit has missed most of the ensuing postseasons, but when they’ve gotten in, they’ve lost, to the tune of 15 playoff losses in a row.
Until Monday night at Madison Square Garden.
That’s when Cunningham led the Pistons to a 100-94 win over the New York Knicks, one of the most cathartic in both the near- and long-term that an NBA team could have.
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That 2008 game, the last win, was a 94-75 win over the Celtics in which Antonio McDyess led all scorers with 21 points.
But that’s not really something to concern the current Pistons, who have proven in their 30-win improvement from last season that they’re a special bunch.
No, these Pistons would’ve been more concerned with how Game 1 ended.
The Pistons led most of the way, and then the Knicks went on a 21-0 run in the fourth quarter to stun Detroit.
Not this time. The Knicks tried to take control, and the Pistons wouldn’t let them.
It all started with Cunningham, who went for 33 points and 12 rebounds.
He got amazing help off the bench with 20 points from Dennis Schroder.
Mostly, though, this was an entirely Detroit effort. The Pistons were shorthanded with Isaiah Stewart out with an injury, and his replacement Paul Reed scored six quick points off the bench after not playing in Game 1.
Tobias Harris maintained his crazy minutes, staying in for 43 minutes and scoring 15 points with 13 rebounds.
The Pistons have turned themselves back into winners, and for the first time in forever, they showed that trait in the playoffs, too.
With the series now going back to Detroit and the Pistons having snagged a win at MSG, look out. This team, for the first time in a couple decades, is mightily dangerous.
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