Hours earlier than Recreation 5, Detroit Pistons star Cade Cunningham was requested how he would sum up his first playoff sequence to this point.
“I wouldn’t sum it up yet,” Cunningham replied earlier than dealing with a Knicks workforce in search of to shut out the sequence.
That proved to be a sensible response.
Cunningham scored 13 factors within the fourth quarter of his Pistons’ 106-103 win over the Knicks at Madison Sq. Backyard on Tuesday evening, serving to Detroit stave off elimination for at the least two extra days.
He performed the function of finisher on an evening the Knicks’ closeout specialist, Jalen Brunson, and Josh Hart had been unable to get again on the courtroom for a lot of crunch time.
And now the best-of-seven first-round sequence shifts again to Detroit for Recreation 6 with the Knicks up, 3-2.
“With our backs against the wall, we’re better,” Cunningham stated. “We play better. We’re more together. I think tonight was an example of that.”
Cunningham put the Pistons up, 92-90, with a pair of free throws on the 5:01 mark of the fourth quarter, then drilled a 3-pointer lower than a minute later to develop the result in 5.
The Knicks had minimize the deficit to 97-95 when Brunson and Hart each checked out with 2:57 left within the sport. Brunson appeared to as soon as once more tweak the troublesome proper ankle he sprained lower than two months in the past, whereas Hart was left hobbled after a collision.
Brunson and Hart walked to the scorer’s desk with just below two minutes left in regulation — proper after Cunningham’s driving floater put the Pistons up by six — however waited there till head coach Tom Thibodeau referred to as the Knicks’ ultimate timeout with 27.1 seconds to go.
“Just where we were with our timeouts,” Thibodeau stated afterward. “Coach’s decision.”
Cunningham completed with a game-high 24 factors on 6-of-17 capturing with eight rebounds and eight assists, shaking off a tough first half during which he managed solely 4 factors and went 2-of-8.
The primary-time All-Star is averaging 25.4 factors, 8.6 rebounds and eight.8 assists per sport in his first journey to the playoffs however has dedicated at the least 5 turnovers in all 5 video games.
Brunson, who accepted his trophy for NBA Clutch Participant of the Yr on Tuesday, had been the sequence’ marquee finisher. He scored 12 factors within the fourth quarter of the Knicks’ Recreation 1 win and 15 within the ultimate interval of their Recreation 4 victory.
However Brunson completed Tuesday with a series-low 16 factors on 4-of-16 capturing and scored solely three factors within the fourth quarter. It was his first sport within the sequence with out at the least 30 factors.
“It’s tough,” Brunson stated of his late-game absence. “But I have the utmost faith, regardless of the result, in my teammates.”
Brunson has repeatedly left within the second halves of this sequence to are likely to obvious ankle reaggravations, however his absence loomed largest in Recreation 5.
Hart, who completed with 15 factors, seven rebounds and 6 assists, stated he was coping with wrist and again points.
“Obviously, that’s tough,” Hart stated of ready on the scorer’s desk. “You want to be out there. But we had good looks.”
Mikal Bridges minimize the Knicks’ deficit to 103-100 with a 3-pointer with 25.1 seconds remaining, and OG Anunoby closed the hole to 104-103 with 5.7 seconds left with one other 3-pointer.
However Cunningham made a pair of free throws to ice the sport.
Hanging over Recreation 5 was the controversial end to the Knicks’ 94-93 win in Recreation 4, which ended with Hart getting away with contact on Tim Hardaway Jr. on a 3-point try within the waning seconds. The NBA stated in its Final Two Minutes Report that Hart ought to have been referred to as for a capturing foul.
After calling solely 34 fouls in Recreation 4, the referees officiated Recreation 5 far more tightly.
They referred to as 51 fouls on Tuesday, with Cunningham and Ausar Thompson making an attempt 12 free throws apiece and Brunson capturing 10. Thompson scored a season-high 22 factors for Detroit.
There was extra referee drama on Tuesday.
Within the second quarter, Tobias Harris was not referred to as for a goaltend on a Bridges lay-up try, regardless of contacting the ball after it touched the backboard.
Within the third, Thompson acquired away with a journey as he collected the ball in transition, which drew the ire of Brunson, who picked up a technical foul for arguing.
And within the fourth, Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff was referred to as for a technical foul for arguing after his problem on a Harris foul towards Karl-Anthony Cities was upheld.
“It is what it is,” Thibodeau stated of the officiating.
The winner of the sequence will face the Boston Celtics, who superior to the second spherical with Tuesday’s Recreation 5 win over the Orlando Magic.
The Knicks will attempt to advance Thursday with a Recreation 6 win at Little Caesars Enviornment. In any other case, Recreation 7 will probably be again on the Backyard.
“Confident,” Cunningham stated. “We’ll be back.”
Initially Printed: April 29, 2025 at 10:39 PM EDT
