Cade Cunningham’s 42 Lifts Pistons Vs Knicks Sweep at Madison Square Garden
In a dominant showing that finished a season sweep, the Detroit win over New York on Thursday reinforced the narrative around pistons vs knicks: Detroit took down the Knicks 126-111 at Madison Square Garden as Cade Cunningham finished with 42 points, 13 assists and eight rebounds.
Pistons Vs Knicks: Cunningham nearly posts a triple-double
Cunningham led Detroit’s balanced attack, collecting 42 points while dishing 13 assists and grabbing eight rebounds in the blowout. The Pistons outscored New York in all four quarters and have now beaten the Knicks in all three meetings this season, extending a string of dominance in the matchup.
Big margins, missing players and conference stakes
The Pistons’ three wins over the Knicks this season have come by an average of 28 points; New York fell by 31 and 38 in the first two games. Detroit entered the game without key rotation centers Isaiah Stewart and Jalen Duren, both sidelined by suspension, while New York was only missing Miles McBride for the matchup at Madison Square Garden.
Detroit’s victory moved the Pistons to 41-13 and left the Knicks at 35-21, a gap that now sits at seven games between New York and the conference’s top seed. With just over 20 games left in the regular season, the win further reduced the likelihood that another team will catch Detroit for the No. 1 spot.
Knicks guard Jalen Brunson led New York with 33 points, eight assists and six rebounds but admitted the losses are discouraging. Knicks coach Mike Brown said his players were disappointed after the game and that the string of lopsided defeats should serve as motivation going forward.
Series trends and what it signals for the meeting ahead
Detroit’s dominance in the series stretches beyond three wins this season: franchise history in the matchup shows the Pistons have now won six straight games against New York. The December and earlier-season blowouts set the tone for Thursday’s result and left the Knicks searching for answers after multiple one-sided losses.
Bringing the focus back to the standings, New York is now tied with the Cavaliers for the No. 3 seed. The two teams will meet Tuesday in Cleveland, a game that offers the Knicks a chance to stabilize their position in the East with slightly more than 20 regular-season games remaining.
Detroit will carry the sweep and a 41-13 mark forward as the regular season continues; New York heads to Cleveland on Tuesday for a matchup that could help define the Knicks’ immediate post-season positioning.
