It has been an action-packed playoff series between the Detroit Pistons and the New York Knicks. Detroit took Game 5 at Madison Square Garden by a score of 106-103. Cade Cunningham led the way for the Pistons with a game-high 24 points. The Knicks lost more than just Game 5; they lost Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart in the final minutes of the game. No players on the Knicks roster were able to crack 20 points on Tuesday night. The Knicks’ streak of failing to close out a series at home continues, dating back to 1999.
The story of Game 5 was the final two-and-a-half minutes of the game. Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart got injured at nearly the same time, forcing the two to get subbed out during crunch time. The duo checked out of the game while Detroit led by three points. When they went to the scorer’s table to come back in, they had to wait nearly two minutes for the next dead ball. Tom Thibodeau had only one timeout to use and decided he did not want to use it for his starters to come back in the game. Instead, he called his final timeout when Detroit’s Ausar Thompson made a layup to push the lead to six with 27 seconds remaining.
When asked about waiting to use his timeout postgame, he said, “Coach’s decision.”
Fans across the league scrutinize Thibodeau for his coaching strategy, especially for playing starters over 40 minutes every game. The players do not seem to care, as they have stated they do what it takes to win the game. This playoff series could be the make or break of Thibodeau’s tenure at the helm of the Knicks. If the main reason he was to lose his job was for not playing starters, it would be ironic.
However, the story of the weekend was the final seconds of Game 4. New York led by one point with under ten seconds to play. Cade Cunningham’s missed mid-range shot to take the lead led to a scrum under the basket for the rebound. The ball rolled on the floor to an open Tim Hardaway Jr. in the corner with under two seconds left. Josh Hart jumped to block the shot, and he bumped the former Knick on his way up, causing him to airball at the buzzer. Pistons’ head coach JB Bickerstaff was irate at the no-call, running out across the court to confront crew chief, David Guthrie. Bickerstaff had a clear argument here, as replays showed Hart fouled Hardaway Jr. Guthrie admitted postgame that he missed the call and Detroit should have had three free throws to win the game.
Pistons fans should instead complain about how their team blew a comfortable 93-89 lead with under two minutes left. Karl-Anthony Towns made two of the biggest shots in Knicks playoff history on Sunday. With the shot clock winding down, the offseason acquisition made a fadeaway shot over six-foot-ten, Jalen Duren. Towns was falling away by the baseline and had to arch the ball over the backboard. Even ABC announcer Dave Pasch was stunned by the shot saying, “Oh my goodness! How did Towns make that?”
On the next possession for New York, Towns launched a step-back 30-footer and swished it, which was the eventual game-winner.
Game 5 for Towns was a different story, shooting 5-14 from the field. On Sunday afternoon, he scored 27 points, burying five of his seven three-pointers. Detroit was able to figure out the seven-footer, who finally was included in the offense starting in Game 3.
OG Anunoby has been phenomenal on the defensive side of the ball. When guarding Cunningham, he has forced him to pass, relying on teammates like Malik Beasley to make some threes.
Beasley has not shown up in this series, making more tweets since the series started, 18, than three-pointers, 16. He took to X after the Game Five win, bashing Mikal Bridges by snapping back at a fan who said Bridges would have 44 on Thursday night. He responded by saying, “Minutes?” Beasley finished second in three-pointers made this season, sinking 319. Outside of Game 1, the 28-year-old has been a ghost on Detroit’s offense. If he can get it going, the Knicks are going to be in some trouble.
Game Six tips off at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, and if necessary, Game 7 commences on Saturday.
Great article! Knicks in six!