The Detroit Pistons walked into uncharted territory on Wednesday night—overtime in the playoffs. The last time this franchise saw such a moment was 19 years ago, when most of today’s players were still learning to tie their sneakers. In those high-stakes minutes, the script usually calls for stars to shine brightest. Instead, the Pistons found themselves watching their third-string center get stuffed at the rim, their backup point guard misfire from deep, and another reserve miss a critical three-pointer—all while their starting center sat on the bench and their starting shooting guard watched from street clothes.

Cade Cunningham, the young engine of this Pistons squad, had already poured in 37 points during regulation, fighting through relentless double-teams. But overtime demands perfection, and even rising stars can stumble. Fatigue set in, and Cunningham made two costly errors: a careless turnover that led to a Cleveland layup, and a missed box-out on a James Harden free throw that allowed Harden to snag an offensive rebound, burn precious seconds, and draw a foul for two more free throws. In a five-minute overtime period, that’s enough to flip the game on its head.

“Turning the ball over in overtime… I wish I could have that play back for sure,” Cunningham admitted after the game. “There’s a lot of plays I wish I could take back. But it’s basketball. It’s an imperfect game.”

And he’s right. Cunningham rises to the challenge far more often than he falters. But when he does stumble, the Pistons’ supporting cast struggles to step up. It’s a classic tune: when your star isn’t perfect, who else can you turn to? For Detroit, that question remains unanswered—and it’s the difference between a thrilling win and a heartbreaking loss.