The New York Knicks regained control of their first-round playoff series Thursday night, holding off a furious Detroit rally for a 118-116 victory in Game 3. With the win, the Knicks take a 2-1 series lead and snatch back home-court advantage ahead of a pivotal Game 4 on Sunday in Detroit.
Karl-Anthony Towns set the tone early with an aggressive start, scoring 11 of his 31 points in the first quarter. Jalen Brunson, the NBA’s recently crowned Clutch Player of the Year, lived up to the billing with 12 of his 30 points coming in the fourth, including a pair of crucial layups that stretched New York’s lead to seven in the final minutes.
The Pistons, trying to build on the momentum from their Game 2 victory in New York—which ended a record-setting 15-game playoff losing streak—battled hard but came up just short. Cade Cunningham led Detroit with 24 points and 11 assists, but struggled with efficiency, missing 15 of 25 shots and committing six turnovers.
Tim Hardaway Jr. provided a spark off the bench for Detroit, scoring 24 points and knocking down a career playoff-high seven three-pointers. Dennis Schroder added 18 points, and Jalen Duren finished with 16, though his final act sealed Detroit’s fate. After a controversial sequence in the closing seconds involving a missed over-and-back call, Brunson made a free throw with 0.5 seconds left, and intentionally missed the second. The buzzer sounded prematurely, giving Detroit the ball at midcourt — but Duren’s inbound pass sailed out of bounds, ending any hopes of a miracle finish.
OG Anunoby added 22 points and Mikal Bridges scored 20 for the Knicks, who led 33-27 after a fiery opening quarter and 66-53 at halftime. Detroit clawed back to within a point twice in the third, but New York responded with a timely run to take a 10-point cushion into the fourth.
Towns, who had shot just 1-for-5 from beyond the arc in the first two games, rediscovered his rhythm from deep, connecting on 4-of-8 from three-point range. His early burst gave the Knicks momentum, while Brunson’s poise in the clutch ensured they would escape with the win.
Detroit’s Game 3 loss marks their eighth straight home playoff defeat dating back to 2008, putting them just one shy of the NBA record set by the Philadelphia 76ers between 1968 and 1971.
Game 4 tips off Sunday in Detroit, where the Pistons will try to avoid falling into a daunting 3-1 hole against a Knicks team that has rediscovered its edge.
