Don’t look now, but the Detroit Pistons are over .500. They’ve won five straight and are undefeated in the year 2025. They are 19-18 overall and surging. 

Cade Cunningham is playing like an NBA All Star. The 6’6” guard is averaging 24 points, 6.6 rebounds and 9.3 assists (third in the NBA). He is helping lead a resurgence in Detroit sports, also spearheaded by the Michigan Wolverines and Detroit Lions. It’s a good time to be from Michigan. 

If the Pistons are still slithering their way up the standings and Cunningham is still excelling as the team’s floor general, we might want to give thanks to the Chinese Zodiac. 

The Chinese New Year is Jan. 29, and this is the year of the Wood Snake. Traits associated with the year of the snake are intuition and strategy, two tools in Cunningham’s bag that are clearly on display this season. He’s putting in good work every night and is gaining national attention as a possible NBA All Star.

Of note, Cunningham was born in 2001. His sign is the snake. This is a good year for him and it could mean a good year for the Pistons. 

What would that look like? Well, Detroit hasn’t made the playoffs since the 2018-2019 season and hasn’t won a playoff game since 2007-2008, according to RealGM.com. 

Success this season is a series win in the postseason. This team has unity, skill, scoring (14th best in the league, according to NBA.com), defense (13th), rebounding (12th), youth, coaching and, if you believe in Chinese lunar cycle dynamics, Detroit is destined for greatness. 

Keep winning Detroit. The world is watching. 

Photo by Chris Schwegler/NBAE via Getty Images