The New York Knicks, our defending champions, finally got themselves into the win column, snapping a brutal three-game losing streak to start the season. After dropping three straight games, the Knicks surged in the second half to beat the Detroit Pistons 111-97 on Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden. This wasn’t just any regular season win, either, it marked the first time defending champions started a new campaign 0-3 since the Dallas Mavericks back in 2011-12. That Mavericks team ended up going 36-30 and got bounced in the first round of the playoffs, so yeah, the stakes for this game felt pretty real.
The Champs Looked “A Step Slow” to Start the Season
Let’s be real, the Knicks had looked totally out of sorts to kick off the year. They lost their season opener to LeBron James and the Philadelphia 76ers, then followed that up with single-digit losses to both the Boston Celtics and Orlando Magic. It was not a championship start, to put it mildly. And on Tuesday night against the undefeated (3-0) Pistons, it looked like more of the same was coming. Detroit was in control for most of the first half, even building a 13-point lead briefly in the second quarter. Our man Jalen Brunson, who we all know is usually money, managed just 11 points in the first 24 minutes and shot a shocking 1-of-9 from the field. Yikes. Meanwhile, Pistons guard Cade Cunningham was nearly on triple-double watch by halftime, racking up 15 points, seven rebounds, and six assists. Things were not looking good for the defending champs.
Brunson Wakes Up, Knicks Go On a Tear
But then, something clicked. The Knicks mounted an 18-3 run in the second quarter to tie the game, eventually taking a one-point advantage into the locker room. Brunson shook off that rough start almost immediately after the break. He drilled a layup, then an easy 20-footer over Cunningham, sparking an 11-0 burst that forced a quick Detroit timeout and gave the Knicks their first double-digit lead of the night. From there, it was a clinic. The Knicks absolutely *dominated* Detroit, outscoring them a ridiculous 37-13 in the third period. The Pistons? They shot a dismal 4-of-19 from the field in that quarter. That’s how you turn a game around!
Karl-Anthony Towns led the Knicks with a monster 27 points and 20 rebounds. Brunson finished with 23 points and seven assists, despite that ugly 5-of-18 overall shooting from the field. Brunson and Towns combined for 50 points, powering the second-half surge that left Detroit in the dust. Landry Shamet and OG Anunoby also chipped in with 13 points each. The Pistons, who came into this game undefeated, now sit at 3-1 after their first loss. Cunningham finished with 19 points, nine rebounds, and eight assists, while Paul Reed added 22 points and nine boards. But it wasn’t enough. The Knicks cruised the rest of the way, fending off a late push in the fourth quarter to secure the 14-point win, with the Pistons never getting back within single digits.
Now, the Knicks have a long, long road ahead if they want to defend their championship. No team has pulled that off since the Golden State Warriors almost a decade ago. But hey, they’ve got a win on the books, and sometimes, that’s all it takes to get the momentum rolling. This team just proved they can turn things around when the pressure’s on, and that’s exactly what you want to see from your champions.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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