Cade Cunningham left Tuesday’s Pistons game against the Wizards with back spasms. Patrick Smith / Getty Images
March 17, 2026Updated 9:08 pm EDT
A game removed from Detroit Pistons wing Ausar Thompson’s return from a five-game absence caused by a right ankle sprain, the Pistons lost All-Star Cade Cunningham to back spasms in the first quarter of Tuesday’s matchup against the Washington Wizards.
Cunningham collided with Wizards rookie Tre Johnson when the two were attempting to corral a loose ball with 7:44 left in the first frame. The 24-year-old Cunningham winced as he stayed down on the hardwood for a few seconds before being helped up. He remained in the game for a few possessions before subbing out for good, tallying 6 points and two rebounds in five minutes.
Detroit announced Tuesday morning Isaiah Stewart, who last played against the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday, suffered a Grade 1 calf strain and will be reevaluated in one week. While it’s currently unclear how severe Cunningham’s back spasms are, the Pistons are already without an integral piece of their rotation in Stewart. Daniss Jenkins started the second half in Cunningham’s place.
Coach J.B. Bickerstaff spoke pregame on just how important good health is for Detroit as it approaches the postseason.
“The most important thing is health and habits,” Bickerstaff said. “We’ve got to make sure, this month, has been a lot of games for us, it will be a lot of games for us. So, making sure that we’re doing things right on the off days, how we’re recovering and all those things, to get guys opportunities to get on the floor, so that we can continue to work those habits. That’s priority number one for us.”
The Pistons have a total of 18 games in 31 days during March with five back-to-backs. Bickerstaff has relied heavily upon Detroit’s depth all season, and depending on the severity of Cunningham’s back spasms, may need to do so again during its final 14 regular-season games.
This story will be updated.
Mar 18, 2026
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