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Pistons vs Magic: The Detroit Pistons are 1-3 in their series against the Orlando Magic. In future, they have a Cade Cunningham issue.

Cade Cunningham and the Detroit Pistons are in panic mode, or at least they should be, as they head into Game 5 of the NBA playoffs on Wednesday, April 29, against the Orlando Magic at 1-3 in the series. The Pistons were favorites going into this series, but they have crumbled on the court.

The Detroit Pistons are in trouble, and Cade Cunningham knows it. The Orlando Magic aren’t blinking or showing any weakness. Detroit needs pace, edge and a little attitude. They have to bring that “Bad Boys” feel back. This can’t be pretty. Cunningham has to take the wheel, but he can’t do it alone.

Now, even beyond the playoffs and looking into next season, the Pistons can’t pretend that Cunningham is enough. He needs a running mate who bends defenses and doesn’t flinch late. He needs another partner with some bite and, yes, a little ego. The Pistons don’t need a savior, but they need someone who makes the floor feel smaller when games get tight.

Detroit Pistons Need to Help Cade Cunningham for the Future of the Franchise

In a Tuesday, April 28 feature for Pistons Powered, Maxwell Ogden makes the case that the Pistons need to bring on real support for Cunningham in the future.

“Cunningham put together an All-NBA season, but the lack of shooting and shot creation alongside him has proven to be a fatal flaw in Detroit,” he notes in the piece.

He champions the idea of bringing Minnesota Timberwolves guard and former Chicago Bulls standout Ayo Dosunmu to Detroit. This move makes sense, especially because Dosunmu will be an unrestricted free agent this summer and available to the Pistons.

“Dosunmu spent the better part of his first five NBA seasons playing as a rival of the Pistons in Chicago,” Ogden notes in the piece. “He’s now less than two hours away by flight in Minneapolis, which makes his Midwest traversing almost poetic in regard to what should come next.”

Dosunmu’s numbers are strong. He is a career 38 percent three-point shooter and shot 43.9 percent from beyond the arc last season, according to NBA research. So, he has the talent to fill some needs in the Detroit Pistons’ lineup.

What makes Dosunmu so tempting isn’t just one checked box on the Detroit Pistons wish list. He can actually go get a bucket and finish like he’s done it before, because he has done just that. This pick is a winner, but the Pistons, of course, will have to compete against other teams to get him.

Pistons vs Magic: Detroit Has to Win 3 Straight Games to Advance, Starting With Game 5

The Detroit Pistons have to win three straight games to win this series against the Orlando Magic, beginning Wednesday, April 29, at home. So, what went wrong with the team’s game earlier this week?

“Too many turnovers, bro,” center Jalen Duren told reporters after the game, according to ESPN. “They are scoring off of our mistakes. The whole series, we just been shooting ourselves in the foot. We got to clean that up, man.”

Duren added that he still believes “we’re the better team, top to bottom,” and I agree. The Detroit Pistons are a stronger and sturdier team than the Magic, but sometimes, the better team just doesn’t win.