2 weeks Ago
The New York Knicks’ use of Karl-Anthony Towns is under the spotlight after the Detroit Pistons snapped their NBA-record 15-game playoff losing streak with a 100-94 victory to level their Eastern Conference first-round series at one game apiece. ESPN on Kayo Sports brings you the best of the NBA Playoffs including every game of the NBA Conference Finals & NBA Finals LIVE | New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited time offer.
Cade Cunningham scored 33 points and grabbed 12 rebounds and Dennis Schroder added 20 points off the bench -- including a go-ahead three-pointer with 55.7 seconds left as the Pistons thwarted the Knicks’ rally bid. The Pistons, in the playoffs for the first time since 2019, notched their first playoff victory since game four of the 2008 Eastern Conference finals against the Boston Celtics.
Two days after the Knicks authored a 21-0 scoring run to rally in game one, the Pistons were pushed to the finish in a fast-paced, physical encounter at Madison Square Garden. They led by as many as 15 in the third quarter, but the Knicks had cut the deficit to eight going into to the final period. New York star Jalen Brunson scored 14 of his 37 points in the fourth and fed Josh Hart for a dunk that tied it at 94-94 with 1:15 to play.
But Schroder answered immediately, drilling a three-pointer that put the Pistons ahead for good. The Knicks came up empty three straight possessions while Schroder and Jalen Duren connected at the free-throw line to seal Detroit’s win. Tobias Harris scored 15 points and pulled down 13 rebounds and Duren had 12 points and 13 boards.
Mikal Bridges scored 19 for the Knicks as Karl-Anthony Towns and OG Anunoby were held to 10 apiece. Towns was held scoreless in the second half and while he was the subject of some criticism, the general consensus seemed to be that the Knicks needed to find a way to get him more involved moving forward. “Just trying to have the game do what it does, just executing what we talked about,” Towns said after the game when asked about not getting any shots in the fourth quarter.
“Thought we got some great shots, some great looks, especially when we fought back in that game.” Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau, meanwhile, said he closed the first half with Mitchell Robinson over Towns because he was the “one guy rebounding” and singled out the lack of work on the boards as a key difference between the two teams. The Knicks traded for Towns in October last year.
He is under contract until 2026-27, with a $61 million player option in 2027-28 and is earning $49.2 million this season. In Western Conference action, the Denver Nuggets took a 1-0 series lead over the Los Angeles Clippers into their game two showdown after a 112-110 overtime victory on Saturday.
Denver’s reigning NBA Most Valuable Player Nikola Jokic scored 27 points with nine rebounds and 12 assists in the narrow win, and Russell Westbrook delivered big plays on both ends of the floor to help seal it..
