Three takeaways from the Knicks' Game 2 loss to the Detroit Pistons

Well, things could be worse for the Knicks, who avoided a 2-0 series deficit to the Pistons only because of a 21-0 fourth-quarter run in Game 1.

But Game 2 was bad enough by itself, a 100-94 loss at Madison Square Garden that turned the teams’ first-round playoff series into a best-of-five competition, with the Pistons now having the home-court edge.

Some takeaways from Monday night’s downer for the Knicks:

1. The officiating is going to be a huge factor in this series.

Sure, that is true of most NBA playoff series. But because of the Pistons’ hyper-aggressive style, the tone set by the officials will be a key element in every game.

Pushing and shoving are givens. How many of those turn into foul calls and free throws is more difficult to predict.

In Game 2, things got very strange very early during a first half in which despite Detroit’s usual physical play, the Pistons had 14 free throws to the Knicks’ two. The Knicks had none until there were 17.4 seconds left in the half.

After three quarters, the disparity was 22-6, with the Pistons’ Cade Cunningham alone having more free throws than the Knicks — eight to six.

“Obviously, huge discrepancy in free throws — huge,” coach Tom Thibodeau said. “So I’ve got to take a look at that. I don’t understand how on one side, you’re talking about direct-line drives, the guy’s getting fouled, it’s not called.

“Look, I don’t give a crap how they call a game, as long as it’s consistent on both sides. If Cunningham's driving and there’s marginal contact and he’s getting to the line, then Jalen [Brunson] deserves to be getting to the line. It’s really that simple.”

2. Cade Cunningham is who we thought he was.

After a subpar game by his standards in Game 1, the rising superstar did his thing on Monday, finishing with 33 points and 12 rebounds as the defensive magic OG Anunoby worked on him Saturday did not turn out as well this time.

And anytime Cunningham saw someone other than Anunoby guarding him, he got even more aggressive.

If Cunningham produces like he did in Game 2, the Knicks are going to have a problem on their hands.

“He had his mind made up what he was going out to do tonight, and he was elite at it, like he always is,” Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff said.

Said Cunningham; “It was just what the game gave me. I wasn't trying to look for anything in particular, just be aggressive and play hard.”

3. If the Pistons can limit Karl-Anthony Towns consistently, the Knicks will have another problem on their hands.

After excelling in Game 1, Towns had a quiet night in Game 2 with 10 points and six rebounds while being guarded mostly by Dix Hills’ own Tobias Harris, who gives up four inches in height to Towns.

“I thought Tobias was great,” Bickerstaff said. “Tobias did a phenomenal job of just being physical with him, not letting him get to his spot. Made him take tough twos over the top of him, eliminated a lot of the catch-and-shoot threes that he'd been getting throughout the season.

“I thought Tobias was unbelievable in being physical without fouling him and just making him earn everything.”

Harris scored 15 points and had 13 rebounds.

“He’s been huge,” Cunningham said. “He always brings a sense of calm to us. We know we can always give him the ball and everything settles down on the glass . . . He does a bunch of everything for us. It's good to have that guy that has that experience and can make plays for you.”

By Neil Best

neil.best@newsday.com@sportswatch

Neil Best first worked at Newsday in 1982, returned in 1985 after a detour to Alaska and has been here since, specializing in high schools, college basketball, the NFL and most recently sports media and business.