NEW YORK — In a thrilling match on Saturday night, the Detroit Pistons triumphed over the New York Knicks with a score of 120-111. Cade Cunningham was the standout player for the Pistons, achieving an impressive triple-double with 29 points, 15 assists, and 10 rebounds, marking his fifth of the season, placing him just three behind leading player Nikola Jokic.
Malik Beasley contributed significantly off the bench, scoring 23 points, while Jaden Ivey added 16 points to help end the Pistons’ three-game losing streak. On the side of the Knicks, Jalen Brunson delivered a remarkable performance with 31 points and 10 assists, and Mikal Bridges supported the effort with 20 points. However, this defeat halted the Knicks’ momentum, breaking their four-game winning streak.
The Knicks were already facing challenges, playing without star Karl-Anthony Towns due to a sore right knee, and they also missed reserve player Cam Payne. The situation took a turn for the worse when Josh Hart was ejected in the fourth quarter after receiving his second technical foul.
Detroit showed dominance during the game, leading by as much as 17 points in the third quarter. Nevertheless, New York mounted a comeback, scoring 27 points to Detroit’s 14 in the final 10 minutes of that quarter, narrowing the Pistons’ lead to 89-85. Early in the fourth quarter, Ariel Hukporti’s dunk brought the Knicks within two points, but Detroit quickly responded with a 12-2 run. They capitalized on four turnovers from New York to extend their lead to 103-89 with just under eight minutes remaining in regulation.
In terms of performance, Cunningham was particularly remarkable during the first half, scoring 21 points and shooting 7-for-11 from the field, including a 5-for-7 success rate from beyond the arc. The Knicks had their own issues; Jericho Sims stepped in for Towns but struggled to make an impact, finishing with no points in just six minutes in the first half.
A key moment of the evening occurred when New York honored several former players at halftime, with a ceremony that drew the attention of the crowd. Additionally, a noteworthy statistic showed Detroit’s shooting prowess in the first half, as they impressively shot 26 for 46 from the field and 13 for 23 from three-point range.
Looking ahead, the Knicks are set to visit Toronto on Monday night, while the Pistons will head to Boston for their next game on Thursday.
