The Detroit Pistons 6-2 start has come with All-Star center Jalen Duren sidelined, and with more and more of the offense running through Cade Cunningham. That is the part of this hot start worth arguing about.

The Detroit Pistons 6-2 Start Matches Last Year’s 60-Win Team

At 6-2, the Detroit Pistons have every reason to feel good about the beginning of their season. They have played competitive basketball, picked up impressive wins and shown that they belong in the conversation among the Eastern Conference’s better teams. They sit first in the Central Division.

Here is the number that gives the start its real weight. Last season’s team, the one that finished 60-22 and first in the Eastern Conference before losing to Cleveland in seven games in the conference semifinals, was also 6-2 after eight games. This group has matched the pace of a 60-win team while missing its starting center.

So the question is not whether Detroit fans should panic. It is whether this version is already better than the one that won 60 games, or whether the record is flattering a roster that has not been tested yet.

The situation underneath the record deserves a closer look. Injuries have already forced adjustments to the rotation, the roster still has questions to answer, and too much of the offensive responsibility continues to fall on Cade Cunningham.

The Pistons might be winning games right now, but that does not automatically mean they have everything they need to compete for a championship.

The Injury Situation Cannot Be Ignored

One of Detroit’s biggest challenges early in the season has been keeping its rotation together.

Jalen Duren has been sidelined with a right hamstring strain, while Isaiah Joe has also missed time with a hip injury. Those absences have forced Detroit to adjust its lineups and find production from different players.

Duren’s absence is particularly important, and it is bigger than a rotation note. He is the starting center, he averaged 19.5 points and made his first All-Star team last season, and he signed a five-year, $200 million contract this offseason. He hurt the hamstring in the first half at Miami on Oct. 23 after 10 minutes, the Pistons announced two days later that he would be re-evaluated in two weeks, and he has not played since.

“It’s tough when you lose a guy that means as much to us as JD does,” coach J.B. Bickerstaff said after the diagnosis.

His presence gives Detroit size, rebounding and another option around the basket. Without him, other players have to take on additional responsibilities, and matchups against bigger teams become more difficult.

Ausar Thompson showed what he could contribute against Philadelphia, collecting a career-high 17 rebounds. That kind of effort is encouraging, but expecting players to consistently compensate for missing teammates is not a long-term solution.

The Pistons need to get healthy, establish their rotations and figure out what this team looks like when everyone is available.

Cade Cunningham Cannot Be the Entire Offense

Here is where my biggest concern comes in: Cade Cunningham.

There is no question that Cade is the centerpiece of this franchise. He is the player Detroit trusts with the ball when the game gets difficult, and he has repeatedly shown that he can take over offensively.

Against Philadelphia on Nov. 4, Cunningham finished with 26 points, a season-high 11 assists and seven rebounds. He was once again responsible for creating opportunities, controlling the offense and keeping Detroit within striking distance.

But how much can the Pistons continue to ask of him?

There is a difference between building an offense around your best player and putting your best player in a position where he feels like he has to be the best player on the court every single night just to keep the team competitive.

That is a dangerous situation over an 82-game season.

Cunningham should absolutely be expected to lead this team. He should be expected to take big shots and make important decisions. But Detroit cannot afford to make every game depend on whether Cade can produce another extraordinary performance.

The goal should be to make his job easier, not harder.

The Philadelphia Game Was a Reality Check

Wednesday’s 112-106 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers might have been one of the more important early-season tests for Detroit.

The Pistons fell behind by as many as 18 points before putting together a late comeback. Duncan Robinson led Detroit with 27 points on 7-of-11 shooting from 3-point range, Cunningham added 26, and Thompson pulled down 17 rebounds.

Despite the individual performances, Detroit could not complete the comeback.

Philadelphia’s size and offensive production created problems for Detroit throughout the night. Jaylen Brown scored 30 and Joel Embiid went for 26 points and 15 rebounds.

The game also highlighted something important: Detroit needs more than one or two players having great nights.

Robinson’s shooting was impressive, Thompson’s rebounding was outstanding, and Cunningham did what he could to keep the team in the game. But against a team with championship aspirations, those performances still were not enough.

That does not mean the Pistons cannot compete with Philadelphia. It means there are areas that need improvement before Detroit can consistently win those matchups.

What Needs to Change

The answer is not to panic after one loss. A 6-2 start is still a 6-2 start, and there is plenty of basketball left to play.

However, Detroit needs to focus on three things.

First, the Pistons need to get healthy. Getting Duren and other injured players back will help establish a more consistent rotation and give the coaching staff more options.

Second, the supporting cast needs to become more dependable. Cunningham cannot be responsible for creating nearly every important offensive opportunity. Detroit needs players who can create their own shots, make plays and take pressure off its franchise point guard. That is why the trade proposals that would put another scorer next to Cunningham keep surfacing, even when the asking price makes them hard to justify.

Finally, the Pistons need to prove they can beat quality opponents without requiring a spectacular performance from Cade every night. That is what separates a good regular-season team from a legitimate contender.

The Potential Is There, But the Questions Are Real

I am not suggesting Detroit should abandon its expectations or that a 6-2 start is something to be disappointed about. There is a lot to like about this basketball team.

But fans should be realistic.

The Pistons have the foundation of a competitive team, a franchise player in Cunningham and young talent that can continue to develop. What remains to be seen is whether the roster around him is strong enough to compete when the games become more important.

Cade Cunningham should not have to be Superman every night.

If Detroit wants to make a serious postseason run, it needs to become a team that can win together, not simply a team that wins when its best player has to do everything.

Matching a 60-win team’s start without your starting center is a real accomplishment. The real test is whether the Pistons can turn that promising start into something much bigger.