Cade Cunningham Leads Pistons to Game 5 Win Over Knicks in Gritty NBA Playoffs Battle

The Detroit Pistons showed resilience and toughness on Tuesday night, defeating the New York Knicks 106-103 in a physical Game 5 showdown at Madison Square Garden to extend the NBA Playoffs first-round series and force a Game 6 back in Detroit.

Head coach J.B. Bickerstaff urged his young Pistons squad to believe they could overcome the odds one more time—and they did just that. Led by Cade Cunningham, who posted 24 points, 8 rebounds, and 8 assists, Detroit executed in the clutch to survive elimination in this best-of-seven series.

The game was a bruising, back-and-forth battle featuring eight ties, 14 lead changes, and 51 combined fouls. Neither team could take control for long, but it was Cunningham who knocked down two clutch free throws with five seconds remaining to seal the win.

Knicks Struggle in Crunch Time, Brunson Injures Ankle

Jalen Brunson, the NBA’s 2025 Clutch Player of the Year, had his worst playoff performance yet—scoring just 16 points on 4-of-16 shooting. The Knicks guard rolled his ankle late in the fourth quarter and missed critical minutes as New York tried to rally. Compounding the issue, both Brunson and Josh Hart were stuck at the scorer’s table for over two minutes without a timeout being called, leading to fan frustration and late-game disorganization.

Detroit Pistons Set the Tone Early, Withstand Knicks Comeback Attempts

The Pistons started aggressively, jumping out to a 9-2 lead as New York opened sluggishly, even committing a shot-clock violation on its first possession. But New York clawed back with a strong stretch led by Karl-Anthony Towns and OG Anunoby, who combined for 22 first-half points. The Knicks held a narrow 50-49 halftime lead.

Tobias Harris, despite a scary moment after getting inadvertently hit by teammate Jalen Duren, bounced back to provide an offensive spark and key stops for Detroit. Meanwhile, rookie Ausar Thompson brought energy and versatility, even stepping into the center role in small-ball lineups due to foul trouble and injury absences.

cTake Control in the Second Half

Cunningham set the tone early in the third quarter, orchestrating pick-and-roll plays and dishing assists that led to multiple Thompson dunks. A 20-9 Pistons run gave them a double-digit lead, although the Knicks clawed back late to make it a three-point game entering the final quarter.

Despite late-game threes from Mikal Bridges and Anunoby, the Pistons held strong behind the steady play of Cunningham, Duren, and Thompson. With Game 6 now shifting back to Detroit, the Pistons have a chance to even the series at home.

Key Takeaways:

• Cade Cunningham’s clutch performance keeps the Pistons alive in the NBA Playoffs.

• Knicks’ Jalen Brunson struggles with shooting and suffers a late ankle injury.

• Detroit forced Game 6 with gritty defense, timely scoring, and bench contributions.

• Pistons vs Knicks series continues Thursday in Detroit.