The boos had rained down on Jalen Brunson for three games in Detroit — every touch, every move. But with 4.3 seconds left in a deafeningly tense Little Caesars Arena, Brunson silenced it all with one flick of the wrist.
The New York Knicks guard buried a cold-blooded step-back three-pointer and blew a kiss to a stunned crowd that had relentlessly taunted him, lifting the Knicks to a dramatic 116-113 win over the Detroit Pistons in Game 6 on Thursday night. The win sealed a 4-2 series victory and sent the third-seeded Knicks into the second round of the NBA Playoffs.
Brunson, just a week removed from being named the NBA’s Clutch Player of the Year, proved once again why he earned that title. He finished with 40 points, including the game’s final dagger, and capped off a brilliant first-round performance with another defining playoff moment.
“I hear it,” Brunson said of the hostile crowd. “You just use it. And when it’s time to answer back, you let your game do the talking.”
The Knicks now move on to face the second-seeded Boston Celtics, with Game 1 set for Monday night at TD Garden.
After trailing by as many as 15 in the second quarter and 11 in the fourth, the Pistons clawed all the way back. Tim Hardaway Jr. gave Detroit a 112-105 lead with 2:35 remaining, hitting a tough jumper that had the building ready to erupt.
But Brunson responded with five straight points, and the Knicks defense dug in. Mikal Bridges added 25 points and OG Anunoby contributed 22, including key baskets in the closing minutes to keep New York within striking distance.
With the score tied 113-113, Cade Cunningham missed a contested layup with 22 seconds left. The Knicks didn’t call timeout. Brunson waved off help and went one-on-one before drilling the go-ahead triple with 4.3 seconds to go.
Detroit’s final chance never materialized. Malik Beasley mishandled a pass with 0.4 seconds remaining, never getting a shot off.
The loss stings for a young Pistons squad that completed a remarkable turnaround this season, not only snapping the NBA’s longest playoff drought — five years — but also ending the league’s longest-ever playoff losing streak in the process.
However, Detroit also extended a less favorable record: a 10th straight home playoff loss, dating back to 2008.
Cunningham nearly delivered, finishing with 23 points, eight assists, and seven rebounds, but he was cold from deep (0-for-8 from three). Hardaway Jr. added just seven points on 1-for-6 shooting from long range.
New York showed poise and grit throughout the series, and especially in Game 6, when it could have unraveled. Brunson’s leadership, along with timely contributions from Bridges and Anunoby, carried them through pressure-packed moments.
The Knicks now aim to reach the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 2000. Standing in their way is a rested and loaded Celtics squad — the same team that swept New York in the regular season.
But with Brunson playing at an elite level and momentum on their side, the Knicks are ready for the challenge.
“Boston’s next,” Brunson said. “And we’re not done.”
