DETROIT -- Even after taking a 2-0 series lead over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Thursday night, Detroit Pistons star Cade Cunningham remained even-keeled amid success.
With a 107-97 Game 2 win, the Pistons celebrated their fifth consecutive postseason victory for the first time since 2008.
However, it was hard for Cunningham to forget that less than a week ago, the Pistons' season was on the ropes as they faced a 24-point deficit on the road against Orlando in Game 6 of their first-round series.
"It taught us how fragile and how thin of a line is that comes between winning and losing," Cunningham said of the Magic series. "So, being up 2-0 right now, we know it's a thin line still. So, it's one game at a time. We've got to go into Cleveland now and they're going to have their home fans around them, they're going to have more energy in there, so we've got to handle our business and be focused."
Ultimately, the Pistons rallied to win Game 6 and the opening series versus the Magic, overcoming a 3-1 hole before advancing to host the Cavaliers in Round 2.
But that first-round experience continues to motivate Cunningham to maintain focus.
On Thursday night, Cunningham led the Pistons over Cleveland with 25 points and 10 assists while Tobias Harris added 21 points and seven rebounds.
"Last series, learned a lot for sure. I mean being down 3-1, back against the wall, there's a lot of things that go through your mind with the potential of your season being over and stuff," Cunningham said. "So, just trying to find the best way to execute, but going through that series, you realize how long a playoff series can be and it's a war more so than just a battle.
"Being down 3-1 and then having a one-game-at-a-time mentality, fighting our way back into it and then winning it, coming down on the right side of it, was a great thing."
Cunningham has now scored at least 20 points in all 15 of his career playoff games, which is the fourth-longest streak to begin a career in NBA postseason history behind Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (27), LeBron James (19) and Anthony Davis (16), per ESPN Research.
He has averaged 31.4 points per game and 7.4 assists while shooting 55.2% from 3-point range during the Pistons' five-game win streak.
Cunningham started the first half of Game 2 against Cleveland with just five points and six assists but came alive in the fourth quarter, scoring 12 points -- including a step-back dagger 3 to put the Pistons ahead 101-92 with 2:12 remaining.
"I mean, Cade is just fabulous," Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. "He's the killer, closer and all of the adjectives you want to talk about. Like, he's it. And in the fourth quarter, he does his best work."
Pistons guard Daniss Jenkins was solid off the bench with 14 points, six rebounds and four assists, and sharpshooter Duncan Robinson became the first player in franchise history with five 3-pointers in back-to-back playoff games. Robinson finished with 17 points while going 5-for-9 from 3.
Detroit led by as many as 14 in the first half but allowed Cleveland to come back and take an 81-79 lead at 10:19 in the fourth quarter after a huge dunk by Evan Mobley. From there, the Pistons went on a 28-16 run to secure the 10-point victory.
The Pistons are 12-1 in best-of-seven playoff series when leading 2-0, while teams in that 2-0 scenario also go on to win series 92% of the time, per ESPN Research.
But the Pistons aren't focused on history or statistics, after their experience with Orlando. So, they'll be prepared to see a hungry Cavaliers squad Saturday.
"We just know, just last series we was down 3-1. So, we're going to keep swinging," Jenkins said. "Our back still against the wall. The world still don't believe. We still trying to prove something to ourselves. We set out this year with certain goals in our mind and we're not there yet. Job's not finished."