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The Detroit Pistons earned their redemption at Madison Square Garden against the New York Knicks. Game 1 ended in troubling fashion after fumbling a late fourth-quarter lead courtesy of a 21-0 run. The Pistons learned from their mistakes, earning a 100-94 Game 2 win over the Knicks.
Once again, the first-round rematch came down to the closing moments in the fourth quarter. Detroit played disciplined basketball for all four quarters on its way to the series-tying victory. Head coach J.B. Bickerstaff spoke about the resilience it took for his team to end the night victorious.
“We did what we were supposed to do. To win a game on the road, to get homecourt was what we came here for. We approached it with a business-like mentality and learned from the fourth quarter the other night. We did what we were supposed to do,” Bickerstaff explained, via Omari Sankofa of the Detroit Free Press.
The Pistons came out stronger against the Knicks, leading by as many as 15 points. New York rallied once again with a 16-4 run in the fourth quarter to tie the game. Detroit maintained its composure and answered the pressure applied by the Knicks.
Monday night's upset registered history as the Pistons earned their first playoff victory since 2008. Bickerstaff kept a humble approach when addressing the historic accomplishment with the media after the game.
“We got bigger things we're out here for. So our focus, and that's why our guys have been able to grow and be consistent, because they just think about the now, and I thought they did a great job tonight of staying in the moment and doing what we needed to do,” Bickerstaff expressed, via ESPN.
Breakout performance by Cade Cunningham
After adjusting to heavy pressure in Game 1, All-Star point guard Cade Cunningham found his comfort zone against the Knicks in Game 2. Cunningham led the Pistons in scoring by recording a playoff career-high with 33 points and 12 rebounds.
Detroit's franchise leader aggressively hunted open looks and did it efficiently by hitting 11-21 field goals. Cunningham also made a major impact from the free-throw line, knocking down 10-12 attempts from the stripe. Cunningham opened up about the team's accomplishment and their momentum heading back to Little Caesars Arena.
“It's a great feeling, man. It feels good to represent the city like we did tonight. It's something the city's been waiting on for a long time, so we feel good about it and we're ready to get back to the crib and perform in front of them,” Cunningham explained.
The Knicks did not apply the same number of double teams as Game 1, which opened up a more aggressive scoring side of Cunningham. Detroit's 6-foot-7 point guard did not record his first assist until the second half.
Pistons prevail with shorthanded roster
Monday night's matchup carried on without one of the most important defenders for the Pistons in backup center Isaiah Stewart. The crucial injury to Stewart occurred in Game 1 when he hurt his right knee. He was listed as questionable on the injury report before the contest started.
Starting center Jalen Duren put together one his best two-way performances of his career. Duren scored 12 points, grabbed 13 rebounds, and blocked three shots. The Pistons benefited from elite-level paint protection by Duren to keep the Knicks contained. Veteran forward Paul Reed filled in the absence of Stewart with some quality hustle minutes.
Backup point guard Dennis Schroder was another key contributor for the Pistons by scoring 20 points and pressuring Knicks star point guard Jalen Brunson on defense. Forward Tobias Harris had another strong outing, posting a double-double with 15 points and 13 rebounds.
