The Detroit Pistons broke their NBA record by ending a 15-game postseason losing streak with a 100-94 victory over the New York Knicks, tying their Eastern Conference playoff series at one game each.
In the game, Cade Cunningham excelled for Detroit, scoring 33 points and securing 12 rebounds, while Dennis Schroder contributed 20 points off the bench, including a crucial three-pointer that put the Pistons ahead with 55.7 seconds remaining.
This win marked their first playoff victory since 2008, specifically since Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals against the Boston Celtics, and was also their first postseason appearance since 2019.
Just two days after the Knicks staged a 21-0 scoring run to win Game 1, the Pistons faced a challenging, fast-paced game at Madison Square Garden, fending off a strong fourth-quarter comeback from New York.
They held a lead of as much as 15 points in the third quarter, but the Knicks managed to reduce the gap to eight as they entered the final period.
New York’s star player, Jalen Brunson, scored 14 of his total 37 points in the fourth quarter and assisted Josh Hart on a dunk that tied the game at 94-94 with 1:15 left to play.
However, Schroder quickly responded by hitting a three-pointer, putting the Pistons back in the lead for good.
The Knicks failed to score on three consecutive possessions, while Schroder and Jalen Duren successfully made their free throws to secure Detroit’s victory.
Tobias Harris of Detroit contributed 15 points and 13 rebounds, while Duren added 12 points and 13 rebounds of his own.
For the Knicks, Mikal Bridges scored 19 points, while Karl-Anthony Towns and OG Anunoby were limited to 10 points each.
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Pistons coach JB Bickerstaff remarked, “We did what we needed to do. That’s all there is to it.” His team is set to host Game 3 on Thursday. “Winning a game on the road to gain home-court advantage was our goal.
“We approached it with a professional mindset and learned from our experiences in the fourth quarter.”
Kawhi Leonard recorded 39 points on 15-of-19 shooting as the Los Angeles Clippers defeated the Denver Nuggets 105-102 on Monday, tying their Western Conference first-round playoff series at one game each.
Christian Braun and Nikola Jokic of Denver missed three-point attempts in the closing moments. Jokic finished the game with a triple-double.
For Los Angeles, James Harden added 18 points, Ivica Zubac contributed 16 points and secured 12 rebounds, and Norman Powell scored 13 points.
Leonard, 33, rebounded from a disappointing game with seven turnovers in the opener on Saturday, where Denver claimed a 112-110 overtime victory.
He made his first six shots on Monday and only missed a pull-up jumper early in the second quarter, not missing again until the early fourth quarter.
“Tough fight,” Leonard commented in a postgame interview on TNT. “This is what the playoffs are about.”
The best-of-seven series will continue in California with Game 3 on Thursday in Inglewood.
