Cade Cunningham injury: Detroit Pistons guard suffers collapsed lung. When will two-time All-Star make comeback?

Cade Cunningham Injury: Detroit Pistons star guard Cade Cunningham has been diagnosed with a collapsed lung. All-Star guard 24-year-old Cade Cunningham of the Eastern Conference leader is expected to miss at least two weeks and possibly more, according to multiple reports.

The regular season ends in less than four weeks. The Pistons — who listed Cunningham as out for Thursday's game in Washington with a left back contusion — wouldn't start their playoff run until April 18 or 19. There is optimism that ‌Cunningham ⁠will be ⁠back in time for the start of ​the playoffs, which begin on April 18. The Eastern ​Conference-leading Pistons (49-19) have 14 games remaining in the regular season.

It's unclear exactly when ​Cunningham sustained the injury, ⁠however he ‌exited the Pistons' win on ​Tuesday ​with what the team labeled ⁠as back spasms early in the first quarter ​after falling on the floor ​in a bid to secure a loose ball. He already was ruled out for Detroit's Thursday game against the host Washington Wizards prior to the ‌report.


Cunningham got hurt in Tuesday's win over Washington, leaving midway through the opening quarter with what the team called back spasms. He dove for a loose ball and collided into Wizards guard Tre Johnson with 7:44 left in the first, then seemed to be laboring until he checked out 1:04 later.

Cunningham is in contention for NBA Most Valuable Player honors. ​He ​is averaging 24.5 ⁠points, 9.9 assists and 5.6 rebounds in 61 games (all starts) this season.

A two-time All-Star, Cunningham is ​averaging 22.6 points, 7.9 assists and 5.4 rebounds in 269 career games (all starts) since the Pistons selected him with the top overall pick of the 2021 NBA Draft.

Detroit entered Thursday 49-19, 3 1/2 games ahead of Boston for the top spot in the East with 14 games remaining. Cunningham has played in 61 games this season, so an extended absence could also mean he doesn't reach the 65-game threshold for eligibility for awards like the All-NBA team.

Detroit Pistons will look to defeat the Wizards for the second time in three nights on Thursday when ​the teams reconvene in Washington, D.C.

The Pistons ​handed the woeful Wizards their 13th straight loss with a 130-117 decision Tuesday night.

Jalen ​Duren erupted for a career-high 36 points on 13-for-17 shooting from the floor for Detroit (49-19). He also had 12 rebounds for his 35th double-double of the season.