Pistons Grit Out Game 5 Win at MSG: 5 Takeaways from Detroit’s Season-Saving Victory
The Detroit Pistons stunned the New York Knicks with a 106-103 win in Game 5 at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday night, forcing a Game 6 back in Detroit. The Knicks blew a fourth-quarter lead and saw both Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart briefly exit late due to injuries — leaving Detroit just two wins from pulling off a massive first-round upset.
Here are five key takeaways from a thrilling Game 5:
1. Detroit Closes Strong in the 4th
The Pistons flipped the script in the final minutes after faltering in previous fourth quarters this series. Trailing by three with 10 minutes left, they responded with 25 points on their final 18 possessions, carving up the Knicks’ defense repeatedly in the pick-and-roll.
Karl-Anthony Towns was targeted by Tobias Harris, and Cade Cunningham feasted off mismatches, either attacking Jalen Brunson directly or using screens to create space. Cunningham either scored or assisted on 11 of Detroit’s last 14 points, calmly orchestrating the offense when it mattered most.
2. Knicks Miss Brunson at Crunch Time
Brunson rolled his previously injured ankle in the final minutes and briefly exited alongside Hart, who fell hard on his left hand. In the two minutes without them, the Knicks offense sputtered: just two points on five possessions.
Miles McBride and Cam Payne were unable to replicate Brunson’s production, and Tom Thibodeau’s decision not to burn his last timeout to sub in Brunson backfired. Without their All-Star point guard, the Knicks’ offense became stagnant, allowing Detroit to regain control.
3. Jalen Duren’s Playmaking Shines
While Cade Cunningham continues to lead in assists, it’s Jalen Duren who’s been Detroit’s surprise facilitator. Duren recorded six assists in Game 5 — several coming on slick reads after rolling to the rim or collecting offensive boards.
Though not a shooter, Duren’s ability to punish blitzes and find open teammates like Amen Thompson or Tim Hardaway Jr. has kept the Knicks from fully containing Cunningham.
4. Pistons’ Starting Lineup Dominates Again
Coach J.B. Bickerstaff finally leaned heavily on his starting unit, and it paid off. In 21.2 minutes together, Detroit’s starters outscored the Knicks 54-27 — a staggering +27 in limited time. The defensive rating (84.6) for that group across five games highlights their two-way dominance.
By contrast, the Knicks’ starting five — while more heavily used — has been less effective, particularly with Towns’ and Brunson’s defensive vulnerabilities being exploited in clutch moments.
5. History’s Against Them — But Don’t Count Detroit Out
Teams down 3-1 in best-of-seven series are 13-277 all-time (.045) — but the Pistons have been in every game, and could easily be up 3-2. Now back in Little Caesars Arena for Game 6 (Thursday, 7:30 p.m. ET on TNT), they’ll look to earn their first home playoff win and force a Game 7 at the Garden, where they’re already 4-1 this season.
Bickerstaff isn’t thinking about the odds:
“The focus is just the game that’s in front of us… We’re a team that just plays in the moment.”
If Detroit keeps defending, executing in crunch time, and getting contributions across the board, this series might just go the distance.
