This was supposed to be the Knicks’ night. Game 5. At home. A 3–1 series lead and all the momentum in the world. But the Pistons had other ideas. And thanks to a wild final sequence, two injuries, and a timeout that never came, Detroit stunned New York with a 106–103 win to force Game 6—and maybe changed the story of this series entirely.
Knicks’ Final Two Minutes Were Pure Mayhem
The Knicks were trailing by six with under three minutes left when it all unraveled. Jalen Brunson, battling a sore ankle, and Josh Hart, who hit the floor hard moments earlier, were both on the bench trying to shake it off. They made their way to the scorer’s table. The Garden crowd waited for the whistle that never came.
No timeout. No foul to stop the clock. Just 90 seconds of bleeding time as the Pistons executed and the Knicks’ stars stood stuck.
Head coach Tom Thibodeau explained the decision postgame: “It’s just where we were with the timeouts — it was a coach’s decision,” he said. “Time. Score. Penalty. All of the above. There’s a lot that goes into it.”
[via ESPN]
By the time Miles McBride was fouled with 2.1 seconds left and missed his first free throw, it was already over. The Knicks ran out of options. The Pistons ran out with the win.
Ausar Thompson Changed the Game
Brunson, who had torched Detroit all series, finished with just 16 points on 6-of-16 shooting. That wasn’t a coincidence.
“It all started with Ausar and his defense,” Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff said postgame. “He was phenomenal defensively tonight. A lot of credit should be given to him.”
[via ESPN
]
Thompson added 22 points on 10 shots and gave Bickerstaff the flexibility to leave Dennis Schroder on the bench late. He wasn’t just good. He was the reason New York never found a rhythm.
Brunson gave the young Piston his due: “He’s a great defender… we need to figure out how to combat that.”
[via ESPN
]
Cade Cunningham Comes Alive
For three quarters, Cade Cunningham was solid. In the fourth, he was something else entirely.
The Pistons’ star poured in 13 of his 24 points in the final frame, including two dagger free throws after the Knicks nearly came up with a steal on the inbounds. He finished with 8 rebounds, 8 assists, and zero fear of the moment. It was the kind of closing performance that puts a team—and a player—on the map.
What Happened to the Knicks?
Brunson didn’t sugarcoat it: “Offensively, I didn’t make good decisions personally.”
via SNY Knicks on X
He didn’t get much help, either. The Knicks missed 11 free throws. They made a few late threes, sure, but the timing was always just a beat off. Without Hart and Brunson in during the game’s most pivotal stretch, they didn’t have the answers.
And now? They’re going back to Detroit for Game 6.
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