The Knicks bounced back to regain a 2-1 series advantage over the Detroit Pistons with a 118-116 win in Game 3 of their first round matchup on Thursday night.
Here are the key takeaways…
– The Knicks were one of the best road teams in the league during the regular season and they continued that in their first postseason matchup away from Madison Square Garden — playing spoiler in the first playoff game in Detroit in six years.
– The intensity in this series has been through the roof and that didn’t change as things shifted to Detroit. The chippiness started from the opening tip as Jalen Brunson was assessed a Flagrant 1 just minutes into the game after poking Tim Hardaway Jr. in the eye attempting to block a three.
Mitchell Robinson, Karl-Anthony Towns, and Paul Reed received technicals for a skirmish later in the quarter.
– As far as the early action, the Knicks were able to accomplish their goal of getting off to a hot start. New York was sharing the ball and finding the open man — knocking down eight of their first 11 shots while dishing nine assists in the opening quarter after finishing with a season-low in that department in Game 2.
– The Knicks also accomplished one of their other big goals — getting Towns more involved early after he was limited to just 10 points in Game 2. The big man was locked in and ready to roll, knocking down three threes to help him top that point total in just the first eight minutes of the game (11).
– Cam Payne questionably played just four minutes during Game 2, but he also saw a bigger role in this one and provided a spark on both ends right away. With Brunson receiving a breather early in the second, the reserve guard came off the bench and helped keep the Knicks in front.
– The Pistons came surging right back, though, knocking down three after three to take their first lead of the game. The former Knick Hardaway Jr. made his first five attempts from behind the arc after going scoreless in Game 2 and Dennis Schroder provided a spark off the bench, drilling three of his own.
But a well-timed Tom Thibodeau timeout helped the Knicks survive the surge and they used a 23-6 run over the final five minutes to carry their largest lead of the half into the break (13). New York finished a terrific first two quarters with as many assists as they had in Game 2 and they held Detroit to eight points in the paint.
– As was the case in Game 1, the third quarter of doom haunted the Knicks. The Pistons came out of the locker room with a force and began attacking the heart of the Knicks defense — using a massive 20-9 run of their own to cut things back down to a one possession game.
The Knicks threw their counterpunch and were able to get the lead back up 10 heading into the fourth.
– New York had plenty of opportunities to put this one away for good, but once again the Pistons came storming right back. Tobias Harris was held scoreless over the first three quarters, but his lay-in with just over four an a half minutes remaining again made it a three-point ballgame.
– But as had been the case all season long, Brunson put the Knicks on his back when they needed it the most. The NBA’s Clutch Player of the Year had a relatively quiet first three quarters, but delivered 12 of his 30 points to help seal the deal down the stretch.
– It wasn’t just Brunson who delivered for the Knicks offensively, as they had four different players top the 20-point mark in a playoff game for the first time since 1972 (KAT 31, Brunson 30, OG Anunoby 22, Mikal Bridges 20). While Josh Hart wasn’t quite there offensively, he still finished with nine assists and 11 rebounds.
– New York did a good job of limiting Cade Cunningham for the most part after his monster Game 2 showing — holding him to just 24 points on 10-of-25 shooting. He did have 10 assists and seven rebounds but wasn’t nearly the force he was in the previous meeting.
– In NBA history, teams that have won Game 3 have gone on to win the series 74.2 percent of the time.
Game MVP: Jalen Brunson
Captain Clutch delivered for the Knicks down the stretch, once again.
Highlights
KAT keeps knocking ‘em down from deep 👌 pic.twitter.com/x0tRESS2Kb
— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) April 24, 2025
Mitchell Robinson and Paul Reed exchange shoves and Karl-Anthony Towns stepped in to get Reed away from Robinson.
All 3 players were assessed technicals. pic.twitter.com/iAn2xxiePK
— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) April 24, 2025
OG closes out Q1 with a putback slam pic.twitter.com/Iol1GyZGqH
— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) April 24, 2025
KAT vs. Paul Reed 💪 pic.twitter.com/fKCzqVcwcs
— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) April 25, 2025
What’s next
The Knicks remain in Detroit for Game 4 against the Pistons on Sunday afternoon. Tip-off is scheduled for 1 p.m.
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