The New York Knicks closed out their first-round series against the Detroit Pistons in dramatic fashion. In Game 6, New York withstood a furious Detroit comeback and pulled out a 116-113 series-clinching victory thanks to a clutch 3-pointer from Jalen Brunson in the final seconds of regulation.
The Knicks jumped out to a 3-1 lead in the series, but the Pistons didn’t go down quietly. After New York’s come-from-behind 94-93 victory in Game 4, Detroit fought off elimination at Madison Square Garden in Game 5 with a gutty 106-103 win to send the series back to Detroit for Game 6 on Thursday. The Pistons led by seven with 2:35 to play, but couldn’t close it out to force a deciding Game 7. The Knicks will move on to face the defending champion Boston Celtics.
The Knicks, who have advanced to the second round for the second year in a row, have championship aspirations after making two big moves in the offseason. This was the first Knicks playoff series for both Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns, who came over in offseason trades last year. They both have fit in well in New York, and Towns (24.4 points per game on 42% 3-point shooting) led the charge alongside Brunson (26 points and 7.3 assists per game) for the NBA’s fifth-ranked offense in the regular season.
The Pistons have not won a playoff series since 2008. This was Detroit’s first postseason appearance since 2019, and J.B. Bickerstaff is getting Coach of the Year buzz for winning 44 games with a team that totaled 14 wins last season. Cade Cunningham enjoyed a breakout regular season for the Pistons, earning an All-Star nod while averaging 26.1 points, 9.1 assists and 6.1 rebounds per game.
Knicks vs. Pistons results
All times Eastern
Game 1: Knicks 123, Pistons 112
Game 2: Pistons 100, Knicks 94
Game 3: Knicks 118, Pistons 116
Game 4: Knicks 94, Pistons 93
Game 5: Pistons 106, Knicks 103
Game 6: Knicks 116, Pistons 113 (New York wins, 4-2)
CBS Sports will have updates and analysis below throughout the Knicks-Pistons series.
