Detroit, Mich — With 4.3 seconds on the clock and the game tied, Jalen Brunson calmly stepped back after a between-the-legs crossover and buried a three-pointer to silence a hostile Detroit crowd that had heckled him all series. As the shot fell, he blew a kiss to the stunned arena.
Brunson finished with 40 points to power the New York Knicks to a 116-113 win over the Detroit Pistons on Thursday night, clinching the first-round playoff series in six games and sending the Knicks into the Eastern Conference semifinals.
“I stay poised and rely on the trust and composure my teammates give me,” Brunson said after the win, just a week after being named the NBA’s Clutch Player of the Year.
“He’s at his best when it matters most,” Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau said. “That’s what makes him special.”
The Pistons had a final chance to force overtime, but Malik Beasley mishandled a pass with 0.4 seconds left, ending their hopes. Beasley, who had a strong second quarter with 16 points and finished with 20 overall, was visibly frustrated postgame.
“I had a shot to tie it,” Beasley said. “I’m mad I didn’t get that chance.”
The third-seeded Knicks now shift their focus to a tough matchup with No. 2 seed Boston, who they’ll face Monday night in Game 1. New York will be aiming for its first trip to the Eastern Conference Finals since 2000.
“They’re the defending champions,” Thibodeau said of Boston. “We’ll have to be at our absolute best.”
New York’s supporting cast stepped up when needed. Mikal Bridges scored 25 points, while OG Anunoby added 22. Despite giving up a 15-point lead in the second quarter and an 11-point cushion in the fourth, the Knicks closed with poise and precision.
Detroit, the sixth seed, had reason for pride despite the loss. This season marked their return to the playoffs for the first time since 2019 and the end of the league’s longest postseason losing streak. However, Thursday’s loss set a different kind of record — a 10th consecutive home playoff defeat, dating back to 2008.
“We’ve proven to ourselves and the league that we’ve got something strong in this locker room,” said Cade Cunningham, who had 23 points, eight assists, and seven rebounds but missed all eight of his three-point attempts.
Tim Hardaway Jr. added seven points for the Pistons but struggled from deep, hitting just one of six attempts. Hardaway had briefly given Detroit a 112-105 lead with under three minutes remaining before Brunson responded with five quick points to swing the momentum.
Cunningham had a chance to break the 113-113 tie with a tough layup in the final seconds but couldn’t convert. Brunson made sure the Knicks didn’t waste the opportunity.
“We did a lot of things right,” said Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff. “They just made one more play.”
Brunson faced relentless booing from Detroit fans throughout the series, with Game 3 featuring chants so harsh that even Warriors coach Steve Kerr publicly defended him. But Thibodeau praised his star’s mental toughness.
“Nothing rattles him,” Thibodeau said. “His focus is always on the game. He doesn’t get distracted by the noise.”
