Knicks can't close out Pistons at home in Game 5 loss, head back to Detroit with 3-2 series lead
As the final minutes of the game were ticking away, Josh Hart came out of the locker room where he’d retreated after taking a hard foul moments earlier. Jalen Brunson, who had gone to the bench at the same time after a collision had him limping once again, joined Hart as both headed to the scorer’s table, hoping to rush back into the game to save the day.
But after leaving the game with 2:57 left, the Detroit Pistons taking the lead on the possession when both were injured, the duo headed back to the scorers table about one minute later. But they waited and watched helplessly until the clock was down to just 27.4 seconds left and too much damage had already been done, the Knicks falling 106-103 in Game 5.
The disappointing finish ruined the Knicks' chance to clinch a playoff series at home for the first time since 1999, instead sending them back to Detroit for Game 6 Thursday night and hoping they can heal up in time to put this series away, still holding a three games to two lead.
Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau had little to say about having two of his most important players on the sideline as the game went from a tie score to a six-point deficit, unwilling to use his final timeout or foul to bring them back into the game.
“Just coach’s decision,” Thibodeau said. “You look at the time, score, penalty, timeouts, all of the above, what’s happening in the game. The next possession, we’re weighing. There’s a lot that goes into it.”
Maybe it wouldn’t make a difference anyway as Brunson had uncharacteristically struggled through a 4-for-16 shooting night, finishing with 16 points and snapping a streak of four straight 30-plus scoring performances.
“It’s tough, but I have the utmost faith regardless of the result in my teammates,” Brunson said. “Whoever is out there, trust, faith, belief, all that, I’ll always have that with my teammates.”
“Obviously that’s tough,” Hart said. “You want to be out there. But we had good looks. I trust my guys. We had a couple good shots to cut that lead. They just didn’t go in. It’s basketball. It happens.”
The game was tied at 95 when both were hurt as Jalen Duren scored with 3:09 to play but the clock rolled on until the Knicks finally called time and got both players out of the game. When they came back it was a six-point deficit, just too much to overcome. So instead of closing it out and celebrating at home, the Knicks head back to Detroit for Game 6 Thursday night.
“You expected that,” Towns said of the Pistons effort. “It's a closeout game, 3-1, and you expect them to come out desperate and also come with that energy. Season's on the line. They hit shots when they had to and got the stops they need when they needed to.”
The Knicks had only themselves to blame. If their focus was on finishing out the series Tuesday their aim was off. Karl-Anthony Towns had 17 points, but shot just 5-for-14. It was the defense and hustle of OG Anunoby and Hart that kept them close, but they just couldn’t get over the hump.
It’s hard to think that the Knicks weren’t thinking about the possibilities that awaited if they could get the job done, an Eastern Conference semifinal matchup with the Boston Celtics. It's the task that the Knicks’ offseason plans were built around, adding pieces to provide matchups for the Celtics star wings.
But it would be harder to find a member of the Knicks who would admit to taking an eye off the job in front of them.
The Knicks entered the fourth quarter trailing once again, this time a 77-74 deficit. But the Knicks evened the score as Towns was fouled by Harris and Detroit coach J.B. Bickerstaff opted to challenge — unsuccessful again — and Bickerstaff was then called for a technical foul. Towns hit all three free throws to even the score at 79 with 10:25 to play.
Trailing 103-97 when Hart and Brunson came back into the game, the Knicks got a three-point field goal from Mikal Bridges and after Dennis Schroder hit one of two from the line, Anunoby drained a three with 7.1 seconds left to close the gap to one. Cade Cunningham went to the line with 5.4 seconds left and hit both.
The Pistons fouled Deuce McBride as he brought the ball up the floor with 2.6 seconds to play. He missed his first attempt, forcing the need to intentionally miss the next one and pray. He missed, but the Knicks effort to tap it back left the ball rolling to midcourt as time expired.
It left the Pistons promising to return to New York for a Game 7.
Asked how confident he was that they’d return for that Cunningham said, “Confident. We’ll be back.”
Steve Popper covers the Knicks for Newsday. He has spent nearly three decades covering the Knicks and the NBA, along with just about every sports team in the New York metropolitan area.
