DETROIT — A Winning Streak Comes to an End

The eight-game winning streak didn’t just come to a halt on Friday night; it was rather abrupt.

The Pistons dominated the Knicks, winning 118-80, solidifying their top position in the Eastern Conference. This was a brutal outing for the Knicks offensively, marking their first loss since mid-January.

Jalen Brunson struggled, scoring only 12 points on 4-of-20 shooting. He appeared worn out after leading the Knicks to a double-overtime victory just two days prior.

Brunson was effectively neutralized by Author Thompson and ended up watching the final quarter from the bench with the other starters, as Coach Mike Brown decided to call it early.

To say the Knicks were off their game would be an understatement. They managed to shoot just 35.8 percent overall, with a dismal 24.2 percent from three-point range. James Dolan, observing from courtside, left the game early in the fourth quarter as the ugliness unfolded.

This marked the fewest points the Knicks had scored all season, previously hitting a low of 90 points in Detroit as well.

The Pistons, boasting a 38-13 record, hold a solid 5.5-game lead over the Knicks, who sit at 33-19. Detroit seemed faster, stronger, and more driven than in their last encounter about a month ago. It was clear they wanted to illustrate a different message after their playoff defeat to New York last year.

Detroit managed just fine even without a standout performance from Cade Cunningham, who finished with 11 points in 22 minutes.

Meanwhile, the Knicks seemed to give up on this game event more. Newly acquired Jose Alvarado was absent, but he’s expected to play against the Knicks in Boston on Sunday.

Karl-Anthony Towns missed the game due to an eye injury, while OG Anunoby was a last-minute scratch with a sore toe. Josh Hart did start, only to limp off the court during the second half without returning.

The Knicks ended up starting rookies Mohamed Diawara and Mitchell Robinson, but their offense really struggled. The Pistons’ physical style clearly contributed to this collapse.

In their two contests against Detroit, the Knicks averaged only 85 points, with a staggering combined point differential of minus-69.

This could signal trouble ahead, especially since the Knicks and Pistons might meet again in the playoffs—whether in the second round or conference finals.

However, Coach Mike Brown isn’t concerned about the regular season as a reliable predictor of playoff outcomes. He commented, “I don’t look at the regular season games as a barometer…it’s a different basketball game when it comes to the playoffs.”

He added, consistently, that every game is about the next challenge, emphasizing that the last encounter with Detroit was an embarrassing loss.

If these two teams do meet again in the playoffs, the Knicks can reflect on past experiences; they were previously swept by the Celtics in the regular season, only to face them again in the postseason.

So, regardless of how the regular season unfolds, there remains a flicker of hope for the Knicks. Yet, it’s undeniable that they looked demoralized against Detroit in these two disappointing games.

On Friday, they only managed 17 points in the first quarter and trailed by 21 points at halftime. Ultimately, the game ended fittingly with Brunson being denied at the buzzer by Paul Reed. The Knicks’ performance was lackluster from the start and never improved.