Brandin Podziemski barely got a chance to break a sweat before his night was over. Just seconds into Thursday’s game against the Nets, he pulled up in pain, motioned to the bench, and made a beeline for the locker room. The Warriors initially left the door open for a return, listing him as questionable, but by halftime, that hope was gone—they ruled him out for the rest of the game.

Tough timing, too. Podziemski had been balling out lately, putting up 19 points in back-to-back road games. Now, instead of building on that momentum, he’s stuck dealing with an untimely lower back injury. After a long five-game road trip, the Warriors are finally back at Chase Center on Saturday night.

Their first test at home? A showdown with the Pistons, the second meeting between these teams this season. But Golden State won’t be at full strength—Brandin Podziemski won’t be suiting up for this one.

Over the 19 games leading up to his exit against the Nets, he averaged 14 points, six rebounds, and four assists per game. He also showed impressive shooting, hitting 45 percent of his shots and knocking down 34 percent of his threes. It feels like watching a classic underdog story unfold in real time.

He’s putting up 10.1 points a night while grabbing 4.9 boards, dishing out 3.4 assists, and swiping 1.1 steals in 50 games this season. His shooting? Solid but with room to grow—42.7% from the field and 31.9% from beyond the arc. His energy and versatility have been key, but with him sidelined, all eyes turn back to the team’s biggest star—Stephen Curry.

Just like Curry once led the Warriors out of NBA irrelevance, Cade Cunningham is trying to do the same for the Pistons.

Can the Pistons replicate what Steph and the Warriors did?

Two guards, two different eras, but the same goal—winning. Stephen Curry, a four-time champion, and Cade Cunningham, a young star on the rise, will go head-to-head when the Warriors host the Pistons on Saturday. Coverage starts at 4:30 p.m. on NBC Sports Bay Area, with tipoff set for 5:35 p.m.

Cunningham, the first overall pick in 2021, walked into a franchise desperate for a fresh start. Sound familiar? Before Curry changed Golden State’s future, the Warriors struggled for years. Like Steph, Cunningham also lost almost an entire season to injury, but two years later, he’s leading a resurgence in Detroit.

Curry has been on another level lately, averaging 34.8 points and 7.8 assists during a dominant road trip of 5 games. The Warriors have gone 8-1 since the All-Star break, climbing to sixth in the West. Meanwhile, Detroit, also 35-28, has shocked everyone by winning 10 of its last 12 under first-year head coach J.B. Bickerstaff.

Cunningham, at just 23, is driving the Pistons‘ success. He’s putting up 25.5 points and 9.4 assists per game, trailing only Nikola Jokić in 20-5-5 performances this season. His inside scoring and pick-and-roll game with Jalen Duren make him a nightmare to guard.

Golden State won’t make life easy. Moses Moody and Jimmy Butler III will rotate on Cunningham, while Ausar Thompson, Detroit’s top defender, will try to slow down Curry. One rising star, one proven legend—this showdown is about to get real.