Cade Cunningham delivered a stellar 36-point performance as the Detroit Pistons edged out the New York Knicks, 124-119, on Monday night. Malik Beasley added 22 points, hitting two critical three-pointers in the final moments, securing Detroit’s second straight win over New York.
The Pistons, now 21-19, have won 10 of their last 12 games. Cunningham controlled the offense, leading Detroit to maintain a narrow lead throughout the second half. When the Knicks doubled him in the closing seconds, the ball found its way to Beasley, who drained back-to-back triples to seal the victory.
Jalen Brunson paced the Knicks with 31 points and 11 assists, appearing unaffected by the shoulder injury he sustained in Sunday’s game against Milwaukee. Mikal Bridges contributed 27 points, while Karl-Anthony Towns added 26 points and 12 rebounds despite dealing with a thumb injury sustained in the first half.
Beasley’s sharp shooting from deep proved pivotal for Detroit. The guard shot 6-of-8 from beyond the arc, including a decisive triple that gave the Pistons a 121-117 edge with 40 seconds remaining. His second dagger, with just over six seconds left, extended the lead to five, securing the victory.
Detroit showcased balanced scoring, with Tobias Harris, Ausar Thompson, and Jalen Duren each contributing in key moments. Harris and Thompson combined for 22 points, while Duren added 10 points and eight rebounds in limited minutes.
New York struggled defensively against Cunningham’s relentless drives and mid-range game. Despite holding the Pistons to 50% shooting from the field, they could not contain Beasley’s hot hand in crunch time.
The Knicks, now 26-15, managed a 40.5% shooting clip from three-point range and had six players score in double figures. Josh Hart recorded a double-double with 12 points and 14 rebounds, providing a strong presence on the boards.
