Cade Cunningham returns after lung collapse in Pistons win over Bucks
In another win for the Detroit Pistons, leaders of the NBA’s Eastern Conference, star guard Cade Cunningham returned after nearly a month out.
It’s the kind of news Detroit had been hoping for. And that’s saying something. Michigan basketball has already been celebrating after a national college championship win, but for the Pistons, the biggest reason to celebrate is that their franchise player, Cade Cunningham, is back and healthy.
Cade Cunningham returns for Pistons just in time
The No. 1 pick in the 2021 draft and the face of Detroit’s resurgence has been sidelined since March 17. A scramble for a loose ball with Washington Wizards rookie Tre Johnson sent him to the hospital with a worrying diagnosis: a collapsed lung, or pneumothorax, leaving him out indefinitely.
It was a brutal blow in what had been a resurgent season for the Pistons. At the time, it was hard to imagine he’d return before the end of the season. But here he is.
Cunningham made his return this Wednesday against the Milwaukee Bucks, starting for the team that currently leads the Eastern Conference. It’s an outstanding development, not just personally for a player recovering from a serious condition in barely a month, but also for a team with championship ambitions.
He finished with a double-double - 13 points and 10 assists - in 26 minutes. As expected, he wasn’t pushed too hard in his first game back. And the game itself quickly turned into a one-sided affair. Detroit dominated Milwaukee, who is already well out of the title picture, cruising to a 137–111 win. Jalen Duren led the Pistons in scoring with 21 points.
CADE IN HIS RETURN FROM COLLAPSED LUNG INJURY 💪
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) April 9, 2026
Welcome back, Cade Cunningham 🙏 pic.twitter.com/srwdEvj1D6
Detroit’s playoff hopes will largely depend on avoiding setbacks like the one that nearly cost Cunningham his season. Still, the team proved its resilience during his absence. The star guard missed 11 games, and the Pistons won eight of them.
Before the injury, the 24-year-old was firmly in the MVP conversation, averaging 24.5 points, 9.9 assists, 5.6 rebounds, and 1.5 steals per game. Now, he’s back with something to prove.
Cade Cunningham could still qualify for postseason awards via an ‘extraordinary circumstances challenge’ despite falling one game short of the 65-game minimum, per @VinceGoodwill
— NBA Base (@TheNBABase) April 8, 2026
An independent arbitrator would review his case to determine his eligibility. pic.twitter.com/aF9DaTk9FW
Against Doc Rivers’ Bucks, there was no contest. Detroit played at a higher gear throughout. Cunningham wasn’t the only returnee either. Isaiah Stewart was also back after a month out with a muscle injury.
Milwaukee showed little resistance, with +6, +12, and +8 margins across three quarters telling the story. That simply won’t cut it against the top team in the conference. Ryan Rollins led all scorers with 23 points, while the win marked Detroit’s 58th of the season under head coach J.B. Bickerstaff.
Other NBA results
- Cleveland Cavaliers 122 - Atlanta Hawks 116
- Orlando Magic 132 – Minnesota Timberwolves 120
- Phoenix Suns 112 – Dallas Mavericks 107
- Los Angeles Clippers 110 – Oklahoma City Thunder 128
- Denver Nuggets 136 – Memphis Grizzlies 119
- San Antonio Spurs 112 – Portland Trail Blazers 101
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2
Cade Cunningham
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0
Jalen Duren
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31
Javonte Green
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12
Tobias Harris
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5
Ron Holland II
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24
Daniss Jenkins
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20
Chaz Lanier
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8
Caris LeVert
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14
Wendell Moore Jr.
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7
Paul Reed
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55
Duncan Robinson
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25
Marcus Sasser
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35
Tolu Smith
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28
Isaiah Stewart
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9
Ausar Thompson
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| Min | Pts | TR | OR | DR | Ast | Los | Rec | Blk | S1 | S2 | S3 | RF | CF | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
2
Cade Cunningham
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25 | 13 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 10 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0/0 | 5/9 | 1/2 | 0 | 3 | |
|
0
Jalen Duren
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27 | 21 | 9 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5/7 | 8/9 | 0/0 | 0 | 1 | |
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31
Javonte Green
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15 | 8 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3/3 | 1/2 | 1/2 | 0 | 0 | |
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12
Tobias Harris
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23 | 10 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2/2 | 1/5 | 2/3 | 0 | 2 | |
|
5
Ron Holland II
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21 | 18 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3/3 | 3/6 | 3/4 | 0 | 6 | |
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24
Daniss Jenkins
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20 | 9 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 6/6 | 0/3 | 1/3 | 0 | 0 | |
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20
Chaz Lanier
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6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 1/3 | 0 | 0 | |
|
8
Caris LeVert
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19 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2/2 | 1/2 | 1/2 | 0 | 0 | |
|
14
Wendell Moore Jr.
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5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0 | 2 | |
|
7
Paul Reed
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9 | 10 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2/3 | 4/4 | 0/0 | 0 | 2 | |
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55
Duncan Robinson
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24 | 20 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0/0 | 4/5 | 4/8 | 0 | 1 | |
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25
Marcus Sasser
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5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0/2 | 0 | 0 | |
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35
Tolu Smith
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0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/0 | 0/1 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 | |
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28
Isaiah Stewart
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10 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2/2 | 3/3 | 0/0 | 0 | 3 | |
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9
Ausar Thompson
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24 | 10 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2/2 | 4/5 | 0/1 | 0 | 1 | |
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29
Alex Antetokounmpo
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43
Thanasis Antetokounmpo
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21
Ousmane Dieng
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20
AJ Green
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11
Gary Harris
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44
Andre Jackson Jr.
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35
Pete Nance
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12
Taurean Prince
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13
Ryan Rollins
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30
Cormac Ryan
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|
0
Jericho Sims
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|
5
Gary Trent Jr.
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| Min | Pts | TR | OR | DR | Ast | Los | Rec | Blk | S1 | S2 | S3 | RF | CF | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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29
Alex Antetokounmpo
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4 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5/7 | 0/0 | 0/1 | 0 | 0 | |
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43
Thanasis Antetokounmpo
|
4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0/1 | 0 | 0 | |
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21
Ousmane Dieng
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26 | 17 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1/2 | 2/5 | 4/8 | 0 | 2 | |
|
20
AJ Green
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30 | 13 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1/1 | 0/1 | 4/8 | 0 | 4 | |
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11
Gary Harris
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8 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0 | 2 | |
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44
Andre Jackson Jr.
|
6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2/2 | 1/1 | 0/1 | 0 | 0 | |
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35
Pete Nance
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18 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/0 | 0/1 | 0/3 | 0 | 4 | |
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12
Taurean Prince
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27 | 15 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0/0 | 0/2 | 5/8 | 0 | 1 | |
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13
Ryan Rollins
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32 | 23 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 6/6 | 7/13 | 1/6 | 0 | 2 | |
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30
Cormac Ryan
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24 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1/1 | 3/3 | 3/6 | 0 | 2 | |
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0
Jericho Sims
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38 | 11 | 11 | 6 | 5 | 10 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 5/8 | 3/6 | 0/0 | 0 | 4 | |
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5
Gary Trent Jr.
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19 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1/1 | 3/4 | 0/8 | 0 | 3 | |
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