The Knicks jumped out to their largest lead of 33 points in the second quarter behind crisp ball movement, stifling defense and All-Star play from their two best players — Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns — as they throttled the Detroit Pistons for a 128-98 road win.
Takeaways
1. Brunson’s season-high 36 points featured 26 in the first half, where the Knicks (3-2) buried the Pistons (1-5) behind a 39-13 first quarter. New York led by 33 twice in the second quarter with the last coming on Brunson’s made layup and free throw at the 6:35 mark, when Detroit trailed 59-26.
Brunson was 14-of-22 shooting, including a 6-for-8 clip from deep, while adding five assists in 31 minutes. After shaky lines from his past two games — he was a combined 14-of-42 shooting in Monday’s 110-104 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers and Wednesday’s 116-107 win at the Miami Heat — Brunson responded with a season-best effort against a team that the Knicks handled.
2. Towns was a game-time decision due to a sprained left wrist, but he looked healthy on his way to 21 points — 16 of which came in the first half, where the Knicks built a 69-46 lead — and kept the momentum from Wednesday’s 44-point outburst. Brunson (12) and Towns (three) scored New York’s last 15 points of the first quarter, capping a 15-3 run through the period’s final 4:08 and showing the duo’s lethal potential. Towns was 8-of-18 shooting while grabbing 11 rebounds — his fourth consecutive double-double — and dishing seven assists in 27 minutes.
3. The Knicks’ defense set the tone in the first quarter, where the Pistons’ 13 points were on six field goals. Defense by OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges and Josh Hart were felt as Detroit struggled. Offensively, Anunoby (21), Bridges (15) and Hart (13) added a pop in their respective moments as New York’s starting five scored double figures.
4. The season is young, but the Knicks have won consecutive games and are above the .500 mark for the first time in 2024-25. New York took care of business against a team that it should have done so with, dominating early and not letting up despite the second quarter’s slight 33-30 Pistons edge. After opening the road trip with a win at the Heat, the Knicks left no doubt in Detroit and get a chance to breathe this weekend before resuming action early next week.
Who’s the MVP?
Brunson, whose 16 first-quarter points established early momentum as the Knicks got up big and buried the Pistons.
Highlights
What’s next
The Knicks continue their road trip and seek a season-first three-game win streak as they head to Houston for Monday’s 8:45 p.m. tipoff with the Rockets.