Key Points Summary: Knicks crumble

• Pistons win 106-103 in Game 5 at Madison Square Garden, cutting Knicks’ series lead to 3-2.
• Cade Cunningham dominates with 24 points, 8 rebounds, and 8 assists.
• New York crumbles under pressure, with Jalen Brunson posting his worst game of the series.
• Game 6 will be played Thursday in Detroit, where the Pistons have lost nine straight home playoff games.
• Knicks risk a Game 7 at MSG if they lose again.

New York, we have a problem. Knicks crumble.

The Knicks are officially under pressure — and their playoff dreams just got a serious reality check. What should have been a triumphant closeout Game 5 in front of a roaring Madison Square Garden crowd turned into a late-night disaster as the Detroit Pistons escaped with a stunning 106-103 win, keeping their season alive and slicing the Knicks’ lead to just 3-2 in the series.

It was supposed to be the night New York sealed the deal. Instead, it’s panic time.

Cade Cunningham Stuns the Garden

Detroit’s breakout star Cade Cunningham once again proved why he’s the real deal. The 22-year-old delivered a near triple-double — 24 points, eight rebounds, eight assists — in a cool, calm, and clinical performance. He controlled the tempo, made clutch plays, and left Knicks fans shell-shocked.

“We don’t want this ride to end,” Cunningham said postgame. “We love playing together. We’re not done yet.”

And they’re not.

Cunningham got plenty of help too. Ausar Thompson poured in 22 points and Tobias Harris added 17, giving the Pistons the firepower they needed down the stretch.

Knicks Fall Apart Late

The Knicks — who were trying to close out the series on their home court for the first time since 1999 — stumbled when it mattered most.

Jalen Brunson, the heartbeat of this squad, had his worst performance of the playoffs, finishing with just 16 points on 4-for-16 shooting. He was visibly frustrated and, worse, briefly left the court alongside teammate Josh Hart with under 3 minutes to go due to injury.

The timing couldn’t have been worse. By the time both were able to re-enter the game, only 27 seconds remained.

Game over. Opportunity missed.

Pistons Refuse to Back Down

Credit to the Pistons — this young squad plays with a chip on its shoulder. Let’s not forget this was a team that won only 14 games last season and has since undergone one of the biggest turnarounds in NBA history.

Their 44-win regular season may have been surprising, but what they’re doing in the playoffs is flat-out inspiring.

They’ve already snapped their NBA-record 15-game playoff losing streak, and with their Game 2 and Game 5 victories at MSG, they’ve now won two of three in New York this series.

And if they can finally break their brutal nine-game home playoff losing streak (dating back to 2008) on Thursday, they’ll force a do-or-die Game 7 in Manhattan.

Suddenly, the Knicks’ comfortable series lead isn’t so comfortable anymore.

What Went Wrong for the Knicks

Besides Brunson’s off-night, the Knicks never recovered from a rocky start. OG Anunoby led with 19 points, while Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges each chipped in 17 — but it wasn’t enough. They were chasing all night and couldn’t claw their way back when it counted.

“We’ve been fighting from behind all series,” said Towns. “But this one hurts.”

Coach Tom Thibodeau’s squad was slow in transition, lacked urgency in key moments, and simply couldn’t capitalize on their home-court advantage.

And now? They’re walking a tightrope.

Duren Delivers Late Dagger

Detroit’s Jalen Duren might not have lit up the scoreboard, but his impact was massive. His back-to-back buckets in crunch time pushed the Pistons ahead for good. Duren also added 14 rebounds and six assists — dominating the glass and making big plays when needed most.

“He was the X-factor,” said one analyst postgame. “The Knicks had no answer for his size and hustle.”

Game 6: Do or Die for Both Teams?

Let’s be clear: if Detroit wins Game 6, the series momentum swings entirely in their favor. Game 7 at MSG becomes a pressure cooker, with all eyes on the Knicks not to collapse.

Can New York bounce back on the road, where they’ve already won twice this series?

Or will Detroit complete the comeback and shock the basketball world?

All eyes are on Thursday night in Motor City.

Knicks crumble:

The Knicks are in trouble. The Pistons are rising. And Game 6 might just be the most important night of New York’s season. One more loss, and this promising playoff run could go down in flames. Hold your breath, Knicks fans — it’s going to be a wild ride.