Cade Cunningham scored 42 points with 13 assists and eight rebounds in a Detroit Pistons win over the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden, after which he declared himself the NBA’s Most Valuable Player.
“I think I am [MVP], and if you don’t agree with me, that’s your opinion,” Cunningham said following the game. The Pistons hold the best record in the Eastern Conference at 41-13. Cunningham is averaging 25.7 points, 9.7 assists, and 5.7 rebounds per game this season.
Cunningham also referenced the team’s standing when discussing his MVP candidacy. “What is it? I mean, we’re the best team in the East,” he said.
Cunningham’s 42-point performance against the Knicks at MSG
The 42-point outing was Cunningham’s highest-scoring game of the season and came against a Knicks team competing for playoff positioning in the Eastern Conference. The 13 assists matched his season average while the eight rebounds fell above his 5.7 per-game average. The stat line represented one of the most complete individual performances by any player this season.
Isiah Thomas on Detroit’s playing style and Cunningham’s impact
Former Pistons guard Isiah Thomas commented on Detroit’s approach, stating, “They’re the one team in the NBA right now that is really playing a totally different brand of basketball than everyone else,” Thomas said. Thomas characterized the Pistons’ style as built around defense, rebounding, and shot selection — an approach he compared to earlier eras of Detroit basketball.
The 41-13 record places the Pistons at the top of the conference despite operating with a roster that was not widely projected for this level of success entering the season.
Where Cunningham stands in the 2026 NBA MVP race
Cunningham’s statistical profile — 25.7 points, 9.7 assists, and 5.7 rebounds on the league’s best Eastern Conference team — places him among the leading MVP candidates. No Piston has won the MVP award in franchise history.
His candidacy rests on the combination of individual production and team record, with 28 regular-season games remaining for both metrics to be evaluated against other contenders across the league.