You will not find a more physical basketball game than the bloodbath that just took place between the Knicks and Pistons. In an old-school throwback style of basketball, both teams battled for all 48 minutes, resulting in a 94-93 victory by the Knicks.
It was a mad scramble down the stretch with some high-level shotmaking by the Knicks to get the result. The Pistons had a chance with the final second winding down, and the game concluded on a controversial non-call that is sure to be a huge talking point in the coming days.
The game nearly turned on its head late in the third quarter when Jalen Brunson ($8,800, 59.25 FPTS) went down with an injury. After getting tangled up in the backcourt with Dennis Schroder when bringing the ball up the floor, Brunson immediately grabbed his bothersome ankle. It took some help for him to get to the locker room, but he had the ankle re-taped and returned to the game with 10:14 remaining in the fourth quarter.
Brunson looked to be his normal self upon returning and lived up to his Clutch Player of the Year title. He scored 15 points in the fourth quarter, finishing with 32 points, 11 assists, and five rebounds, shooting four-for-seven from beyond the three-point arc.
But it was Karl-Anthony Towns ($8,600, 42.25 FPTS) who answered the call when the Knicks most needed it in this one. He hit a pair of clutch buckets to put the Knicks in front with less than a minute to play. Towns finished with 27 points, nine rebounds, and shot 5-for-6 on three-point attempts.
Josh Hart ($6,900, 44.00 FPTS) made his usual impact felt, finishing with 14 points, 10 rebounds, five assists, and four steals. Mikal Bridges ($5,600, 25.50 FPTS) and OG Anunoby ($6,500, 16.50 FPTS) each struggled in this game, combining for 16 points on 6-for-26 shooting from the floor. New York also totaled just five bench points in this game and was out-rebounded, 54-38.
This spoiled a spirited effort from this Pistons team, who now fall into a concerning 3-1 series hole. Cade Cunningham ($9,500, 61.50 FPTS) shined and looked like the best player on the floor for the majority of the game. He finished with 25 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists but was unable to knock down his chance at a game-winner when the moment arrived.
Tobias Harris ($6,300, 31.50 FPTS) brought the energy early on in this game and set the tone for Detroit. He was excellent on both sides of the ball, finishing with 18 points, eight rebounds, a steal, and a block while in foul trouble.
After some early struggles in the game, Malik Beasley ($4,900, 24.25 FPTS) settled in and added 13 points and five rebounds off the bench. Jalen Duren ($6,600, 35.75 FPTS) controlled the glass, grabbing a game-high 17 rebounds. Tim Hardaway Jr. ($4,000, 20.00 FPTS) also added 14 points while shooting 4-for-13 from the perimeter.
The series will now return to New York in what is expected to be the most expensive playoff ticket in NBA history. There have only been 13 teams in NBA history to come back from a 3-1 series deficit.
Based on the odds on DraftKings Sportsbook, the Pistons are given +1200 odds of becoming the 14th team to add to the list, with the Knicks now holding -2500 odds to advance to the second round.
Game 5 will take place on Tuesday––the Knicks are five-point home favorites and hold -205 odds on the Moneyline on DraftKings Sportsbook. Detroit is a +170 underdog and the game total set at O/U 213.0 points.
