Detroit Pistons finish their NBA-record, 15-game postseason dropping streak with a street victory in opposition to the New York Knicks of their Jap Convention playoff collection.
The Detroit Pistons snapped their NBA-record 15-game playoff dropping streak with a 100-94 victory over the New York Knicks to degree their Jap Convention first-round collection at one recreation apiece.
Detroit’s Cade Cunningham scored 33 factors and grabbed 12 rebounds, and Dennis Schroder added 20 factors off the bench, together with a go-ahead three-pointer with 55.7 seconds left, because the Pistons thwarted the Knicks’ fourth quarter rally on Monday.
The Pistons, within the playoffs for the primary time since 2019, notched their first playoff victory since Recreation 4 of the 2008 Jap Convention finals in opposition to the Boston Celtics.
Two days after the Knicks authored a 21-0 scoring run to rally in Recreation 1, the Pistons have been pushed to the end in a fast-paced, bodily encounter at Madison Sq. Backyard.
They led by as many as 15 within the third quarter, however the Knicks had minimize the deficit to eight going into the ultimate interval.
New York star Jalen Brunson scored 14 of his 37 factors within the fourth and fed Josh Hart for a dunk that tied it at 94-94 with 1:15 to play.
However Schroder answered instantly, drilling a three-pointer that put the Pistons forward for good.
The Knicks got here up empty on three straight possessions, whereas Schroder and Jalen Duren linked on the free throw line to seal Detroit’s win.
Detroit’s Tobias Harris scored 15 factors and pulled down 13 rebounds, and Duren had 12 factors and 13 boards.
Mikal Bridges scored 19 for the Knicks as Karl-Anthony Cities and OG Anunoby have been held to 10 apiece.
“We did what we have been presupposed to do. And that was it,” mentioned Pistons coach JB Bickerstaff, whose workforce hosts Recreation 3 on Thursday. “To win a recreation on the street to get house court docket was what we got here right here for.
“So we approached it with a businesslike mentality, discovered from the fourth quarter the opposite evening. However we simply did what we have been presupposed to do.”
Leonard dominates Nuggets
Kawhi Leonard scored 39 factors on 15-of-19 capturing because the visiting Los Angeles Clippers beat the Denver Nuggets 105-102 on Monday to degree their Western Convention first-round playoff collection at one win apiece.
Denver’s Christian Braun and Nikola Jokic missed three-point makes an attempt to finish the sport. Jokic wound up with a triple-double.
James Harden added 18 factors, Ivica Zubac contributed 16 factors and 12 rebounds, and Norman Powell scored 13 factors for Los Angeles.
Leonard, 33, bounced again from a seven-turnover efficiency within the opener on Saturday, a 112-110 Denver win in additional time. He hit his first six pictures on Monday, missed a pull-up jumper early within the second quarter and didn’t miss once more till early within the fourth.
“Powerful combat,” Leonard mentioned postgame on TNT. “That is what the playoffs are about.”
The most effective-of-seven collection shifts to California for Recreation 3 on Thursday in Inglewood.
