標籤: Cunninghams

Sophie Cunningham knows exactly how to pull up to scold-And yes, she’s doing it on and off the hardwood. The Indiana Fever guard is still getting buckets this offseason, just in a different area.

Making her rookie debut with Sports Illustrated Swimsuit, Cunningham proved she has range far beyond the three-point line. After she officially announced last week that she was part of this year’s SI Swim lineup, she put up a joint post with the magazine that doubled the number of fans in no time.

But when you thought he was done cooking? got things feverish hot. Cunningham totally turned up the heat after re-signing with Indiana, and reminded everyone that he’s team-bound And Leveling up your offseason game.

Sophie Cunningham celebrates Indiana return with SI Swimsuit Heat Check

Sophie Cunningham has just resurfaced with the Indiana Fever — and let’s just say she celebrated like she knocked down the game-winner at the buzzer.

For her rookie run with Sports Illustrated Swimsuit, Cunningham didn’t just step into the spotlight — she owned it. SI Swim completely turned up the heat, dropping a BTS clip of the one-off “Spicy Sophie,” doing whatever it took to improve the shot. Her caption was pure woman crush energy: “Is it hot here or is it hot?” [Sophie Cunningham] re-sign with the bus [Indiana Fever] 🌶️🔥,”

And Sophie? She was in her bag the whole time.
“I’m having a lot of fun,” she says while cycling between shoots. “Seriously, this is the best day of my life. I’m in swimsuit number 3; I’m about to change into number 4. Heat is a mindset. We’re OK. The water’s a little cold, but I’m literally having the best day. So, here we go – the last album.”

That’s exactly the mentality that put him on the map last season. The 6-foot-1 guard became a fan favorite after filling in for teammate Kaitlin Clark — a moment that showed she’s not just about buckets, but backbone, too. Since then, she’s been capitalizing on that spotlight with brand deals and now a major SI Swim debut.

And for Cunningham, it’s not just a photoshoot — it’s bigger than that. “It’s probably one of the most empowering things I’ve ever done,” Cunninghamshey said. “I really think, like, kick out on the court. And then kick out in the real world being a woman who is strong, who is powerful and who has the mentality that she can do anything.”

Oh, and he hasn’t expanded his game either. Cunningham is set to make her broadcast debut with studio coverage on USA Network during the 2026 WNBA season.

On the court, off the court, in front of the camera. Sophie is running a full-court press Everyone Lane now.

The Detroit Pistons are in serious trouble after Cade Cunningham suffered a lung injury. He will be reevaluated in two weeks and is expected to miss at least eight games.

The Pistons didn’t miss him much in Thursday’s 117-95 win over the Washington Wizards at Capital One Arena. They improved to 50–19 and reached 50 wins for the first time in 18 years.

While fans are concerned about Cunningham missing for an extended period of time, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said there is no need to panic.

“The good news is they’ve got a four-game lead for a seed in the Eastern Conference standings. I think seeding is less important this year than health, obviously, but the Pistons played very hard. It would be great if they could get a seed so they have some cushion. They’ve played OK without Cade, they’re 5-2 without him,” Windhorst said.

“There are some tankers left on that schedule. There’s no doubt some tough games, but they should get some wins.”

Windhorst also raised the possibility of the 24-year-old guard returning sooner than later.

Windhorst said, “When the Pistons announced this injury, they didn’t announce the rib injury. Now, maybe they’re not giving it all out, but if he survived the big rib injury, it could potentially be more positive for him to come back in a shorter time frame.”

The team’s next five assignments aren’t exactly a walk in the park: the Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Lakers, Atlanta Hawks, New Orleans Pelicans and Minnesota Timberwolves.

Cunningham, who is in danger of being ineligible for individual awards, averaged career-highs of 24.5 points, 5.6 rebounds and 9.9 assists and 1.5 steals.

Jalen Duren led Detroit with 24 points, 11 rebounds and two steals against the Wizards.

The New York Knicks have not been lucky in the playoffs in recent years. He missed the 2024 Eastern Conference Semifinals matchup with the Indiana Pacers due to injuries. And bad luck struck again in the Eastern Conference Finals last season, starting in Game 1 when they blew a 14-point lead in the fourth quarter in a 128-135 overtime loss to Indiana. The Knicks ultimately lost that series in six games.

However, the Knicks’ fortunes may have changed. And while there is an injury Never To celebrate, it was recently announced that Cade Cunningham has a partially collapsed lung, which could impact the balance of power in the Eastern Conference.

And considering how bad Detroit’s matchup has been for New York, this is a situation that could benefit the Knicks.

How Cade Cunningham’s injury changes the power dynamics in the East

Cunningham is the offensive engine of the Pistons. He is their leading scorer (24.5 points per game). And he also leads them in assists (9.9 assists per game). Cunningham also sets the tone for the Pistons’ success overall, as his outlook and approach are adopted by the broader team. Losing Cunningham to a partially collapsed lung is a huge loss for Detroit. Damaged lungs usually take three to eight weeks to heal. With the 2026 NBA Playoffs starting in about a month, timing may not be on Detroit’s favor.

What happens will depend on the severity of Cunningham’s injury and how long he will be out. The Knicks have a slight advantage if he returns before or during the first round — although that’s assuming he returns close to 100%. Thankfully, Cunningham’s injury was not considered serious. In other words, surgery is unlikely. More likely, Cunningham has returned rusty.

Assuming a return occurs, Cunningham will likely be out of shape. He will be unable to maintain cardiovascular fitness during his recovery. This means fewer minutes on the rebound and/or less impactful clutch minutes. Therefore, if Cunningham returns in the first round, the Pistons are likely in a good position to advance given their overall superiority, especially against the bottom tier of the Eastern Conference. And that will give the All-NBA guard time to get himself in shape.

However, it is more likely that he will not be back so soon. There is more possibility of a comeback in the second round. That means the Pistons will need Cunningham to step up quickly against a well-prepared Cleveland Cavaliers team – possibly the Knicks. And this is where things get tricky for Detroit.

How the Knicks could benefit from a Cunningham-less Eastern Conference

Without speculating too much about Cunningham’s return date, the benefit to New York is fairly obvious. The Pistons will either be without their best player or a younger version of themselves for part of the playoffs. Considering how Detroit has handled the Knicks this season, this isn’t bad news for New York. Although given the glory involved in winning your conference – and ultimately a championship – avoiding top-flight competition is clearly lacking – winning is the ultimate goal.

Considering the risks involved in recalling Cunningham, as well as the potential limitations he will face upon returning, it is unlikely we will see him at full strength for the rest of this season or the playoffs. This means a more open Eastern Conference. And that should benefit the Knicks as they attempt to make their first NBA Finals since 1999.

On Thursday, it was reported by ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania that Detroit Pistons star point guard Cade Cunningham will miss an extended period of time due to a damaged lung. The scary situation comes as the Pistons prepare for a playoff run, in which they will likely be the number one seed in the Eastern Conference.

Depending on how much time Cunningham misses, it is possible he could miss eligibility for end-of-season NBA awards, including First Team All-NBA and others that require a player to appear in a minimum of 65 games.

If Cunningham does indeed miss the cut, it would spark further backlash over award eligibility rules. The league first implemented the 65-game minimum in an effort to reduce load management, which, in fairness, was a very real concern at the time, and still is to some extent. It’s also true that the best ability is availability, and there’s certainly a limit to how much value a player can provide to his team if he’s consistently out of the lineup for any reason.

However, if Cunningham does indeed miss out on eligibility, All-NBA teams could feature some faces that many fans may not have seen play at that level on the court. Players like Nikola Jokic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander are already teetering on the edge of eligibility due to previous injury absences, as is San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama.

Cunningham not getting recognition at the end of the season could potentially be the last nail in the coffin that forces the NBA to make changes this offseason.

For now, Cunningham is being considered a possible candidate for First Team All-NBA and the league MVP award.

As the NBA regular season heads into its final stages, one name that has emerged as one of the candidates for the league’s MVP award is Detroit Pistons star Cade Cunningham. The Pistons have been one of the best teams in the league all season, with Cunningham as their top player. According to ESPN’s Vincent Goodwill, it’s a big reason why Pistons head coach JB Bickerstaff believes his star should take home the NBA’s top honor.

Bickerstaff said, “The best player on the team with the best winning percentage, to me, is the guy who deserves to be MVP.” “He doesn’t take up nights or time or possessions defensively. He’ll run his 25 and make his teammates better.”

Cade Cunningham certainly has a big case for the MVP award, and JB Bickerstaff is right to campaign for his player. Cunningham has taken a huge step forward this year as the driving force behind the Pistons’ success. The team is currently 43–14 and in first place in the Eastern Conference standings. To put it in perspective, the No. 2 seed Boston Celtics are five and a half games behind them.

As Bickerstaff noted, the Pistons’ 75.4 winning percentage is the best in the league, just ahead of the Oklahoma City Thunder, whose 45-15 record puts them at a perfect 75 percent.

The No. 1 overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, Cunningham is in his fifth season in the NBA. He was selected for his second consecutive All-Star appearance. He has played just over 34 minutes per game in 51 games this year.

Cunningham averaged 25.4 points, 5.7 rebounds, 9.8 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.0 blocked shots with splits of 45.9 percent shooting from the field, 33.9 percent shooting from the 3-point line and 81.2 percent shooting from the free-throw line.

Cade Cunningham’s historic performance led the Detroit Pistons to solidify their hold on the top spot in the Eastern Conference with a 126-111 victory over the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on Thursday night.

Cunningham produced 42 points, 13 assists and eight rebounds in 38 minutes, shooting 17-for-34 (50 percent) from the field, 5-for-11 from three-point range and 3-for-3 at the foul line. He finished with one steal, two blocks, five turnovers and zero fouls. The 24-year-old scored 24 of Detroit’s 58 points in the first half and 14 points in the opening quarter, hitting three 3-pointers, as the Pistons erased a 9-2 deficit with a 21-8 run. He finished the first half with eight points and assists on a 7-0 run, leading Detroit 58–48 at halftime.

Cunningham’s stat line made franchise history. He became the first Pistons player to post at least 40 points, five rebounds, 10 assists and five 3-pointers in a single game. It was his third 40-point game of the season, his 28th double-double, and fell four points shy of his career high. He is now third in MVP odds at +700 at BetMGM, behind Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (-150) and Nikola Jokic (+275).

Meanwhile, Detroit improved to 41–13, the best record in the NBA, six games ahead of the Boston Celtics in the East and seven games ahead of the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Central Division. The Pistons have won nine of their last 11 games and completed a three-game season sweep of New York by a combined 84 points, extending their regular season winning streak over the Knicks to six games after losing 16 straight in the earlier matchup.

Playing without suspended centers Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart, Detroit still won the rebounding battle 44–38 and outscored New York 58–56 in the paint. Paul Reed started at center and recorded 18 points, seven rebounds and three blocks, while Tobias Harris contributed 11 points and 10 rebounds. Ausner Thompson scored 10 points.

New York shot 47.1 percent overall but just 8-for-35 (22.9 percent) from three. Jalen Brunson scored 33 points with eight assists, and Karl-Anthony Towns had 21 points and 11 rebounds.

The Knicks host the Houston Rockets next Saturday, while the Pistons travel to Chicago to face the Bulls.