Cade Cunningham scored 33 points and grabbed 12 rebounds and Dennis Schroder added 20 points off the bench — including a go-ahead three-pointer with 55.7 seconds left as the Pistons thwarted the Knicks’ rally bid.
The Pistons, in the playoffs for the first time since 2019, notched their first playoff victory since game four of the 2008 Eastern Conference finals against the Boston Celtics.
Two days after the Knicks authored a 21-0 scoring run to rally in game one, the Pistons were pushed to the finish in a fast-paced, physical encounter at Madison Square Garden.
They led by as many as 15 in the third quarter, but the Knicks had cut the deficit to eight going into to the final period.
New York star Jalen Brunson scored 14 of his 37 points in the fourth and fed Josh Hart for a dunk that tied it at 94-94 with 1:15 to play.
But Schroder answered immediately, drilling a three-pointer that put the Pistons ahead for good.
The Knicks came up empty three straight possessions while Schroder and Jalen Duren connected at the free-throw line to seal Detroit’s win.
Tobias Harris scored 15 points and pulled down 13 rebounds and Duren had 12 points and 13 boards.
Mikal Bridges scored 19 for the Knicks as Karl-Anthony Towns and OG Anunoby were held to 10 apiece.
“We did what we were supposed to do. And that was it,” said Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff, whose team hosts game three on Thursday.
“To win a game on the road, to get home court was what we came here for,” he added. “So we approached it with a business-like mentality, learned from the fourth quarter the other night. But we just did what we were supposed to do.” (AFP)
