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Pistons 120, Knicks 111: “Missing a million free throws on legends night.”

Detroit Pistons v New York Knicks

Russell Richardson lives in Binghamton, NY, with his wife and sons. He runs a freelance digital design business and serves as site manager and lead editor of Posting and Toasting. An accomplished writer and illustrator, Russell has many publishing credits, including several children’s books that support children with cancer. His books are available on Amazon.

The New York Knicks (14-9) hosted the Detroit Pistons (10-15) tonight, and we were licking our chops. New York had won four straight games of late and taken 16 straight games from the Motor City Club since 2019. Would our heroes continue their dominance and sweep a four-game homestand at Madison Square Garden?

No, sir. The Pistons capitalized on the Knicks’ turnovers and poor defense to build an early 16-point lead, with Malik Beasley and Cade Cunningham leading the charge. Despite Jalen Brunson’s 20 first-half points and flashes of offensive life, New York’s defensive woes and the absence of Karl-Anthony Towns left them trailing 69-58 at halftime. The Knicks showed flashes of energy in the third, sparked by OG Anunoby’s excellent antics, and cut the deficit to four entering the final frame. However, Cade Cunningham’s triple-double and Detroit’s 14-2 fourth-quarter run sealed the game, as the Pistons pulled away to win it, 120-111

Give them credit—J.B. Bickerstaff has the Pistons personnel playing respectable defense, ranking 15th in the league. Who’s not playing defense? The Knickerbockers—at least not tonight. Further injuries included an uncharacteristic 16-of-27 shooting from the free throw line and losing the boards 43-31. Karl-Anthony Towns didn’t pay tonight (knee trouble). The team felt his absence, and that of Cameron Payne (elbow) on the second unit.

For Detroit, Cunningham scored 29 points, 15 assists, and 10 boards on 9-of-17 shooting and hitting 5-of-8 from deep. Malik Beasley dropped 23 off the bench, hitting seven threes.

For New York, Jalen Brunson scored 31 points and 10 assists on 11-of-21 shooting. OG Anunoby scored 17 points, four boards, four steals, and two blocks, but shot 6-of-15 from the floor (missing six three pointers). MIkal Bridges scored 20 points, two steals, and a block, but shot 8-of-17 from the floor (also missing six triples).

Jericho Sims started in place of Towns, but he struggled in the first half (no points or rebounds in six minutes) and didn’t touch the court in the second. Precious Achiuwa and Ariel Hukporti shared center duties behind him. The former grabbed 10 boards, the latter scored nine points.

Josh Hart received his second technical foul and an ejection with just over a minute left in the game. He was miffed about having been T’d up in the first half, but Cunningham not receiving a tech for arguing with the refs. He had a point. Hart’s stat-line: 17 points, six boards, three dimes, and a steal.

First Half

The Pistons surged to a 13-2 start, capitalizing on the Knicks’ four early turnovers and cold shooting. A brief 12-6 Knicks’ run narrowed the gap, but the visitors pulled ahead by 16. Malik Beasley sparked the Pistons off the bench, hitting 4-of-5 from deep for 12 points in six minutes.

The Knicks struggled defensively, allowing 14 fast-break points and committing just one foul while Detroit shot 64% overall and 47% from three. The home team coughed up seven turnovers, which Detroit converted into seven points, plus they missed 4-of-8 free throws, were out-rebounded, and were outscored by 10 in the paint. No surprise, they were down 39-23 at the break.

With Towns sitting to knee tendinopathy, Jericho Sims started and quickly exited. Ariel Hukporti came on in relief. Jalen Brunson was the lone bright spot, scoring nine points in the first quarter.

With Payne sidelined, Knicks rookie Tyler Kolek opened the second quarter with a three-pointer, sparking a 10-3 run alongside five points from Deuce McBride.

Despite their defensive struggles and two more turnovers, the Knicks’ offense finally showed signs of life. OG Anunoby’s block on Jalen Duren led to a Jalen Brunson four-point play, narrowing the deficit to six.

However, New York couldn’t build on that beautiful sequence, as Detroit outscored them 22-17 to take a 69-58 halftime lead. Cade Cunningham was unstoppable, dropping 16 of his 21 first-half points in the second quarter.

Brunson had collected 20 points and shot 8-of-17 from three, but the Knicks missed Karl-Anthony Towns’ scoring. No one else had double digits yet.

Second Half

To start the second, coach Tom Thibodeau started Achiuwa at center instead of Sims. Detroit extended their lead to 17, but when Precious fought off Duren at the rim and dunked at the other end, our heroes were riding a 13-3 stretch.

His former Raptors’ teammate OG Anunoby boggled the mind yet again, dunking a free-throw missed by Achiuwa and then picking Cunningham’s pocket on the other end. When does All-Star voting start?

OG OFF THE MISSED FT! pic.twitter.com/gfaYRPpuyW

— Let’s Talk Knicks (LTK) (@LetsTalkKnicks_) December 8, 2024

Even with those Anunoby highlights, the Knicks weren’t getting enough stops to overtake the Motor City club until Bridges had a sweet run of a block, a steal, and a fast break dunk.

what a sequence from the squad pic.twitter.com/DcqdgGcAGK

— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) December 8, 2024

When Brunson picked off an errant pass and hit Hukporti with an alley-oop, the game differential was a mere four points. New York took an 89-85 deficit into the final frame.

The Incredible HUK! pic.twitter.com/JR5Ktd54l6

— Knicks Fan TV (@KnicksFanTv) December 8, 2024

In the fourth quarter, Brunson hit Huk for another oop to electrify the crowd, but Cunningham already had a triple-double and was determined to carry his team to victory. Detroit went on a 14-2 run after New York cut their deficit to two. When Achiuwa let Duren slip past him for an uncontested dunk, the Pistons were ahead by 16 with six-and-a-half remaining.

With an 8-2 run, including triples from Bridges and Anunoby, New York was down by eight with 2:19 remaining. Would they have enough left in the tank, after playing from behind all night, to complete a successful comeback?

Nope.

Notes

Before tonight, New York’s worst free-throw shooting night of the season came on November 1, when they hit just 60% against, coincidentally, the Pistons. Tonight they were 16-of-27 for the line, or 59%.

The Knicks have an 11-0 record when they win the first quarter. They are 3-8 when the lose it.

This season, the Knicks had committed 12 fouls in a game twice this season (vs. Boston and Washington). Tonight, they matched that number.

The game was Homecoming Night at the Garden, with over 30 former players honored during halftime (pic below).

Happy birthday to my mom!

Up Next

Quoth Muruju: ““Missing a million free throws on legends night.” Le sigh. Our heroes head to Toronto to face the Raptors on Monday. Safe travels, Knickerbockers

Box Score

once a Knick, always a Knick https://t.co/ic8RJ0Vs7P pic.twitter.com/6ibTjjNJqg

— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) December 8, 2024