The Detroit Pistons have taken the next step as an organization this season. Cade Cunningham has taken the next step in his development this season and the rest of the roster has followed. They will look to build off their 35-29 record against the Portland Trail Blazers tonight.
This is not a matchup that should be taken lightly as Portland has shown a spark in their level of play of late. The Trail Blazers remain in 12th place in the Western Conference but are 15-8 in their last 23 games. Portland’s youthful roster is showing some signs of development and better days are ahead for the franchise.
Deandre Ayton, Robert Williams III, and Matisse Thybulle have been ruled out for tonight’s game for Portland while Deni Avdija and Jabari Walker are listed as questionable. Only Jaden Ivey is set to miss for the Pistons as the youthful guard continues to recover from his season-ending leg fracture. It should be noted that the Pistons are playing on the second night of a back-to-back after losing 115-110 to the Warriors last night so keep an eye on any late additions to the injury report.
The Pistons enter this matchup as 2.5-point favorites and -135 on the Moneyline on DraftKings Sportsbook. The Trail Blazers hold +114 odds on the Moneyline with the game total set at 232.
With the stage set, here are my favorite Cade Cunningham prop bets for the Sunday night matchup.
Best Cade Cunningham Prop Bets on DraftKings Sportsbook
Cade Cunningham’s props are listed at over/under 27.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, 8.5 assists, 2.5 made three-pointers and 40.5 combined points, rebounds and assists.
Cade Cunningham to Record Over 8.5 Assists (-115)
Cade Cunningham is a complete basketball player who can contribute in all areas, but the leap he has taken as a playmaker may be the most impressive part of his game this season. The former number-one overall pick is averaging 9.3 assists per game on the season and has recorded over 8.5 assists in 37 of the 59 games he has played this season.
This is the second matchup between these two teams this season with Cunningham adding 32 points, nine assists, and six rebounds in the first matchup. Portland ranks 18th in the league in opponents’ points allowed, 19th in opponents’ field goal percentage, and 19th in opponents’ three-point percentage.
Cunningham continues to create for others at a high level with his supporting cast making life easier. He has recorded over 8.5 assists in three of his past four games leading into this game. With the tired legs from last night’s loss in mind, expect Cunningham to be comfortable picking the game apart as a passer and leaning on his playmaking ability in this game. Even with their improved level of play, Portland has not shown the ability to fully shut off an offense. Cunningham will be at the heart of his team’s production and expect this to reflect in his passing stats. Look for him to deliver with at least nine assists for the 38th time this season and the second consecutive matchup with the Trail Blazers.
Cade Cunningham Over 4.5 Turnovers (-130)
If there is one area that could be cleaned up in Cunningham’s game, it is his turnovers. The Pistons star is turning the ball over 4.5 times per game which is tied with James Harden for the second-most in the NBA. He has turned the ball over 10 times in a game twice this season and is coming off a nine-turnover performance last night against the Warriors.
This is not as much of an indictment on Cunningham as the raw numbers suggest due to the sky-high usage he is recording. Among players with 35+ games played, Cunningham ranks fourth in usage rate trailing only Giannis Antetokounmpo, LaMelo Ball, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
On the season overall, Portland is averaging 8.0 steals per game and ranks 10th in the league in opponents’ turnovers forced per game. They have climbed to seventh in this category over their 15-8 stretch forcing 15.3 turnovers per game. Cunningham turned the ball over four times in the first matchup with the Trail Blazers this season with this being one of his better efforts in taking care of the ball. Cunningham has tallied over 4.5 turnovers in four straight games entering this matchup.
Expect some sloppiness to be brought on in the second half of the back-to-back. Cunningham will have the ball in his hands plenty throughout this matchup and it takes just a few slip-ups to reach five turnovers as he has done in 26 games this season. Count on these turnover issues to continue and for Cunningham to cough the ball up over 4.5 times again tonight.
