Key Points Summary โ Drama for the Knicks
- The New York Knicks lost Game 2 at home to the Detroit Pistons, evening the first-round playoff series at 1-1.
- The Pistons ended their historic 15-game postseason losing streak with a gutsy 100-94 victory at Madison Square Garden.
- Cade Cunningham led Detroit with 33 points and 12 rebounds, while Dennis Schroder sealed the game with a clutch three-pointer in the final minute.
- The Knicks nearly pulled off another late-game comeback but fell short despite a 16-4 run and 37 points from Jalen Brunson.
- The series now heads to Detroit, where the Pistons will host Game 3 on Thursday with momentum on their side.
- The loss raises big concerns for the Knicks, who now face two crucial road games in a suddenly unpredictable series.
Drama for the Knicks โ Panic Hits MSG as Pistons Steal Game 2
The party was supposed to continue in Madison Square Garden. After the Knicks pulled off a fourth-quarter miracle in Game 1, fans came back roaring Monday night expecting another win.
Instead, they left in stunned silence.
The Detroit Pistons, written off by nearly everyone, snapped a 15-game postseason losing streak and beat the Knicks 100-94 in a stunning Game 2 upset.
And just like that, what looked like a smooth ride for New York has turned into full-blown playoff drama.
The Shot That Silenced MSG โ Dennis Schroder Breaks Hearts
With the game tied at 94 and under a minute to go, it wasnโt Cade Cunningham or Jalen Brunson who had the spotlight.
It was Dennis Schroder, the Pistonsโ midseason trade acquisition, who buried a cold-blooded three-pointer with 55 seconds left to shut down the Knicksโ comeback hopes.
โDennis freaking Schroder,โ one Knicks fan tweeted. โOf course it had to be him.โ
Schroder came off the bench to score 20 points, but it was that one shot that New Yorkers will remember (and lose sleep over).
Cade Cunningham Delivers โ And Then Some
After a rough Game 1, Cade Cunningham reminded everyone why heโs Detroitโs franchise cornerstone.
The All-Star guard exploded for 33 points and 12 rebounds, slicing through the Knicks defense like butter and drawing fouls almost at will.
The Knicks simply couldnโt keep him out of the paint. While Detroit got to the line 14 times in the first half alone, New York managed just two free throws in the same span.
โHe was unstoppable,โ said Pistons coach Monty Williams. โWhen Cadeโs locked in like that, weโre a different team.โ
Knicksโ Fourth-Quarter Magic Fizzles Out This Time
Just like in Game 1, the Knicks made a late push.
Down by as much as 15, they stormed back with a 16-4 run, capped off by a monster dunk from Josh Hart that tied the game in the final minute.
But the Cinderella moment never came. Schroderโs dagger three, followed by key stops and made free throws, sealed the Pistonsโ first playoff win since 2008.
Jalen Brunson Carries the Load โ But Whereโs the Help?
Jalen Brunson did everything he could to carry the Knicks to another miracle finish, scoring 37 points on a gritty, aggressive performance.
But he got very little help.
- Karl-Anthony Towns and OG Anunoby, who both scored 23 in Game 1, were held to just 10 points each.
- The bench struggled to find rhythm.
- And New Yorkโs defense cracked under pressure in the third quarter.
It was Brunson vs. Detroitโand this time, it wasnโt enough.
A Historic Win for Detroit โ And a Wild Turnaround
Letโs not forget: this is the same Pistons team that lost 28 games in a row during the regular seasonโa streak that felt like rock bottom.
Now? Theyโre tied 1-1 in a playoff series and have all the momentum heading back home.
โNobody believed in us,โ Cade Cunningham said postgame. โBut we believe. Thatโs all that matters.โ
This Detroit team is young, hungry, and playing with house moneyโand thatโs exactly what makes them so dangerous.
Whatโs Next โ Game 3 in Detroit Looms Large
The Knicks must now regroup quickly. Game 3 shifts to Detroit on Thursday night, and with the series tied 1-1, itโs officially anyoneโs to win.
Can Brunson keep carrying the load? Can Towns and Anunoby bounce back? Will the Knicks defense finally slow down Cade Cunningham?
One thingโs certain: the pressure is now squarely on New York.
Stats That Tell the Story
- Pistons shooting: 47%
- Knicks shooting: 41%
- Free throws: Pistons 19-of-23, Knicks just 5-of-7
- Turnovers: Pistons 10, Knicks 13
- Third-quarter collapse: Knicks scored just 1 field goal in over 7 minutes
Drama for the Knicks โ Trouble in the Garden
Itโs official: thereโs drama for the Knicksโand itโs getting louder.
They had a chance to go up 2-0 at home, in front of a sold-out Garden crowd, and they let it slip away. Now theyโre heading to Detroit, bruised, frustrated, and suddenly facing a team that smells blood.
The Pistons have nothing to lose. The Knicks have everything to prove.
And the series? It just got very real.
