The Knicks find themselves still under the shadow of the Pistons, at least for now.
As the final whistle blew on Thursday’s game, a chorus of boos filled Madison Square Garden, reacting to the Pistons’ 126-111 win, marking their third consecutive victory over New York this season and solidifying their grip on the Eastern Conference lead.
Cade Cunningham put on a show, racking up 42 points along with 13 assists and 8 rebounds in just 38 minutes of play.
OG Anunoby, despite missing a toenail, didn’t really seem to bring his A-game. It was as if he was dragging his feet, honestly.
Currently, the Knicks sit at third in the East, with a record of 35 wins and 21 losses, now trailing the Pistons by seven games, who boast a record of 41 wins and 13 losses.
Their hopes of clinching the top seed are fading fast.
And losing to the Pistons? It’s just not sitting right with them.
Across three meetings, the Knicks have been outscored by a staggering 84 points. Detroit’s athletic play seemed to frustrate New York, limiting them to just 22.9 percent from beyond the arc. Talk about inefficiency.
Missing 28 three-pointers is, well, not ideal.
Anunoby could muster only eight points, shooting a dismal 3-of-13.
Meanwhile, Mikal Bridges also managed just eight points before losing his groove and sitting out the last nine and a half minutes.
Karl-Anthony Towns had a mixed performance once again; he started off slow with only two points in the first half, but later found his rhythm to finish with 19.
Jalen Brunson had a solid game with 33 points and seven assists, but he did create some chaos with six turnovers.
It was just, well, rough.
Given past performances against Detroit, you’d think the Knicks would come out with something to prove.
The Garden crowd had high hopes for a redemption story.
But the Pistons seem to be carrying a chip on their shoulders after last year’s playoff series against New York, and it’s evident that those memories linger.
Coach JB Bickerstaff acknowledged the sentiment, hinting that previous matchups weigh heavily. Ultimately, his team seems to thrive on that history.
“Some may downplay the regular season, but each game counts as a stepping stone towards playoffs and building confidence against opponents,” he stated.
For Detroit, finding confidence against New York hasn’t been a struggle.
Looking at Thursday’s game, the Knicks had almost their full squad as Anunoby returned, but that didn’t make a significant difference.
In contrast, the Pistons were missing Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart, suspended due to a pre-All-Star break brawl, yet they still dominated the court. The Knicks’ offense felt bogged down and sluggish.
At halftime, New York was trailing by ten.
They did make a push after the break, slicing the deficit to just four points, thanks largely to a more aggressive Towns.
But that momentum fizzled out quickly.
As the fourth quarter began, the Pistons held an 11-point lead, and the Knicks showed no signs of slowing down Cunningham’s onslaught.
