Cade Cunningham delivered a career-defining performance Monday night as the Detroit Pistons defeated the New York Knicks 100-94 in Game 2, ending a 15-game postseason losing streak.
The All-Star guard scored 33 points and pulled down 12 rebounds to help the Pistons even the first-round series at one game apiece.
Detroit fans saw their team win a playoff game for the first time since 2008, and Cunningham acknowledged their loyalty after the game, saying the team’s goal is to deliver a series win.
Dennis Schroder hit a decisive three-pointer with 55 seconds left to give Detroit a 97-94 lead after New York had tied the game on a Josh Hart dunk.
Schroder, acquired at the trade deadline, finished with 20 points on 6-of-10 shooting off the bench.
The Pistons’ turnaround has been one of the league’s most dramatic, going 44-38 this season after a league-worst 14-win campaign in 2023-24.
They entered Monday’s game needing a response after blowing an eight-point fourth-quarter lead in Game 1, which the Knicks turned into a 21-0 run to win 123-112.
This time, Detroit again led by eight entering the final quarter but executed down the stretch to hold off a Knicks rally.
Cunningham bounced back from an inefficient Game 1 showing by going 11-for-21 from the field and attacking the paint consistently.
Detroit drew 34 free-throw attempts compared to New York’s 19, including a 14-2 advantage in the first half that helped the Pistons take a 55-49 lead at the break.
Tobias Harris added 15 points and 13 rebounds, while Jalen Duren contributed 12 points and 13 boards despite foul trouble.
The Knicks were led by Jalen Brunson’s 37 points, but the rest of the starting lineup struggled to provide consistent support.
Karl-Anthony Towns and OG Anunoby, who combined for 46 points in Game 1, were each held to 10 points on Monday.
New York shot just 42 percent from the field and 28.6 percent from deep, missing several critical attempts late in the fourth quarter.
With the series now tied 1-1, Game 3 shifts to Detroit’s Little Caesars Arena on Thursday, where the Pistons will aim to take the lead in front of a home crowd eager for a long-awaited playoff run.
