NBA Playoffs: Pistons Stun Knicks in NY, Force Game 6 Showdown

NEW YORK — Before an essential Game 5, J.B. Bickerstaff conveyed a straightforward message to his squad.

We've conquered numerous challenges, haven’t we?" he stated before the match. "So why stop now?

The Pistons heeded his call, pushing through a tough, physically demanding, frequently error-prone game on Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden.

Game 5 was like fighting in a telephone booth: with eight tied scores, 14 lead changes, and 21 combined missed free throws, it was packed tight and chaotic. 51 Personal fouls were committed by both teams, but neither could create more than a 10-point gap between them. The game came down to the final moments once again; however, this time around, it was the Pistons who excelled under pressure. Detroit’s standout player, Cade Cunningham—who contributed 24 points despite going 6 for 17 from the field, along with collecting eight rebounds, dishing out eight assists, making two steals, and blocking one shot over his 37-minute play—secured victory by sinking two crucial free throws with only five seconds left on the clock. This prevented their elimination.

Cunningham’s opponent, New York Knicks standout Jalen Brunson, had his worst performance of the postseason, managing only 16 points on a meager 4-of-16 from the field along with contributing seven assists and three rebounds during 36 minutes on court. As the recently awarded Clutch Player of the Year in the NBA, Brunson failed to put up any points in the last five minutes of the game. He spent some time sidelined after what appeared to be an injury to his right ankle when less than three minutes were left in the match. Both Brunson and Josh Hart—who earlier headed to the locker room due to a harsh tumble sustained from colliding midair with Cunningham—found themselves waiting at the scorers' table for around two-and-a-half minutes without seeing a break in gameplay or Coach Tom Thibodeau using their final timeout.

Styles make rockfights

From the start, the Pistons set the pace, jumping ahead with a 9-2 run as the Knicks appeared sluggish, even committing a shot-clock violation right off the bat. However, New York gradually found their rhythm thanks to plays like a slick give-and-go between Karl-Anthony Towns and Josh Hart that resulted in an emphatic Dunk from Towns, electrifying the crowd at Madison Square Garden.

Despite their struggles, neither squad managed to score efficiently during much of the opening period, managing only a combined 16 successful shots out of 48 attempts from the floor and going just 4-for-16 beyond the arc. However, towards the end of the quarter, a few fast-break scores along with two free throws by Brunson allowed New York to take a narrow 23-22 lead into the second stanza.

The gritty, physical fight went on, with Knicks reserve center Mitchell Robinson excelling on the rebounding front, securing nine total rebounds—seven of them coming offensively—in just 12 minutes of play during the first half. This skirmish around the basket led to an unfortunate incident within the Pistons' ranks when Duren accidentally hit his teammate Tobias Harris in the face near the hoop, causing the experienced forward to collapse in agony.

Harris would quickly recover, scoring seven rapid points and making several robust defensive plays — one of which was indeed an uncalled goaltend , but hey, Detroit was due —to aid in powering a mid-quarter surge that placedDetroit ahead of a Knicks team really having trouble generating clear shots or making difficult ones.

Despite the challenging conditions, New York continued pushing forward. With Brunson struggling early—making only one of six shots from the field and four out of seven free throws in the first half—OG Anunoby and Towns together scored 22 points in the opening period, while Hart contributed with four assists. This helped put the Knicks ahead with a score of 50-49 at halftime.

Throughout the first half, both squads grappled with foul issues, as referees called fouls more frequently compared to their calls earlier in the series. Detroit’s Duren accumulated three personal fouls, and without backup center Isaiah Stewart due to knee swelling and third-big man Paul Reed already playing extended minutes, coach Bickerstaff was compelled to deviate from his preferred strategy. He opted for a smaller lineup, positioning the highly athletic Thompson at the power forward spot instead. However, this adjustment came with negative consequences; it left the team vulnerable on the glass, allowing New York to secure an impressive twelve offensive rebounds during the half.

The positive aspect was that it gave us the chance to witness Ausar defending the rim ferociously;

Cade in full

Coming out of the locker room, Cunningham aimed to leave an indelible mark on the game right from the start of the third quarter. As an all-star point guard, he initiated fast breaks and delivered a lob pass to Thompson for a thunderous slam. He also poked the ball away from Anunoby during a driving play before diving into effective pick-and-rolls against New York. When facing double teams, Cunningham swiftly passed the ball and confidently relied on Duren to capitalize with smart follow-up actions—most often concluding in another powerful finish by Thompson near the hoop.

The outcome was a 20-9 scoring streak that handed the Pistons a double-digit advantage over the Knicks, who were vexed by both Detroit’s precise defense and their own struggles. definitely sensed the referee had an uneven call with their whistle For stretches. A late push could bring New York back within three points, making it 77-74 before the last quarter begins.

Early in the fourth quarter, the teams swapped leads, putting themselves back into a familiar position from this series: a tightly contested game down the stretch with only one possession separating them. The Pistons’ Cunningham, Duren, Thompson, along with the others, managed to make crucial plays that allowed them to hold off late three-pointers by Bridges and Anunoby, keeping their advantage. remarkable breakthrough season heading, and sending this best-of-seven series back to Detroit for Game 6 on Thursday.