Cade Cunningham sidelined
Detroit star Cade Cunningham has been sidelined at least another week after a collapsed lung, and that absence could knock him out of end‑of‑season award consideration because he risks missing the 65‑game threshold required for eligibility. That’s a big deal for the Pistons’ late push and for any MVP or All‑NBA discussions that hinge on minimum games played. The injury timeline and award rules make each missed week weigh heavily on both the player’s awards resume and the team’s playoff hopes. (x.com)
Cade Cunningham left Detroit’s March 17 game after a collision and was later diagnosed with a collapsed left lung (a pneumothorax); the Pistons initially put him on a two‑week recovery timeline and said he would be rechecked afterward. (sportingnews.com) On April 2 the Pistons updated that Cunningham will be out at least another week and will be re‑evaluated then, meaning there isn’t a fixed return date yet. (espn.com) Medically, a “collapsed lung” is called a pneumothorax — air leaks into the thin space between the lung and the chest wall and keeps the lung from fully expanding, which causes chest pain and shortness of breath; doctors manage small pneumothoraxes with rest and monitoring and treat larger or persistent leaks by removing the trapped air (often with a tube), which is why recovery can take multiple weeks. (sports.yahoo.com) For awards eligibility the NBA counts games only if a player appears on the court for at least 20 minutes, with an allowance that up to two games between 15 and 20 minutes can be counted as qualifying, and the league’s rule requires a minimum of 65 qualifying games to be eligible for Most Valuable Player or All‑NBA teams. ( ) Cunningham has appeared in 61 games this season and is averaging 24.5 points, 9.9 assists and 5.6 rebounds, so the exact number of additional qualifying games he would need depends on how many of those 61 reached the 20‑minute threshold; that uncertainty is why outlets report he may still need roughly four to five more qualifying games to meet the 65‑game rule. ( ) Detroit has shown it can win without him — the Pistons have gone 10‑4 in games without Cunningham this season — and the team has already secured a strong regular‑season position, but each missed week removes the realistic window for Cunningham to meet the 65‑game minimum before the regular season ends. ( )
