NEW YORK – The atmosphere at Madison Square Garden shifted dramatically when Jalen Brunson seemed troubled and the New York Knicks found themselves struggling late in the third quarter. Brunson exited the court, ostensibly for a shoe change, but it may have been a turning point for more than just footwear adjustment.
“He must have picked up his cape,” remarked coach Tom Thibodeau.
From that moment on, Brunson and his teammates delivered an extraordinary performance.
Brunson tallied an impressive 34 points, while Cam Payne contributed crucially by scoring 11 of his 14 points in the fourth quarter as the Knicks pulled off a remarkable 21-0 run, overcoming the Detroit Pistons with a 123-112 victory on Saturday night. This was Game 1 of the first-round playoff series.
In his playoff debut for the Knicks, Karl-Anthony Towns added 23 points along with 11 rebounds, joined by OG Anunoby, who also scored 23 points for the third-seeded team. Their next game, Game 2, will be hosted on Monday night.
For the Pistons, playing their first playoff game since 2019, they managed to maintain a competitive stance for over three quarters, leading 98-90 with a little over nine minutes left, on the verge of breaking their NBA-record 14-game postseason losing streak.
However, when the Knicks went on their scoring run, they turned the deficit into a 13-point advantage, sending the frenzied supporters at Madison Square Garden into jubilant cheers, heightening as each Pistons mistake unfolded after what had been a composed display for much of the contest.
The pivotal run began with a three-point play by Payne, followed by a bucket from Brunson, and a game-tying three-pointer by Payne, evening the score at 98. The relentless attack endured for nearly five minutes, with Payne and Brunson netting the initial 17 points before Josh Hart sealed the effort with the last two baskets, resulting in a lead of 111-98 with 4:50 left on the clock.
“I’ve been anticipating this moment all year,” Payne admitted. “I’ve looked forward to playing like this, the whole season.”
Tobias Harris led the Pistons with 25 points but scored only three in the latter half. Meanwhile, Cade Cunningham recorded 21 points and 12 assists but faced challenges from the Knicks, who restricted his shooting to 8-for-21 during his playoff introduction.
Brunson, who had been sidelined for 15 games late in the season due to a sprained right ankle, initially struggled to find rhythm, going 4-for-15 in the first half and seemingly aggravating his ankle again. Yet, a change of sneakers sparked a resurgence in the final period as he, alongside the Knicks, found renewed energy.
“It’s true we didn’t conclude the third quarter as we had hoped,” Brunson reflected. “But there was never any question that we’d concede without effort. We needed to find solutions, continue battling, and it turned around swiftly.”
The Pistons have not claimed a postseason victory since Game 4 of the 2008 Eastern Conference finals.
“For many on this team, it’s their first playoff exposure,” Harris noted. “While it’s tough to endure a loss, what’s important is how we rebound from it.”