In a heart-pounding finish at Little Caesars Arena, Jalen Brunson delivered a performance for the ages, scoring 40 points, including a game-winning 3-pointer with 4.3 seconds left, to propel the New York Knicks to a 116-113 victory over the Detroit Pistons in Game 6 on Thursday night. The win secured the Knicks’ advancement to the second round of the NBA playoffs, where they’ll face the defending champion Boston Celtics.
Brunson, fresh off winning the NBA’s Clutch Player of the Year award, lived up to his reputation with a dazzling crossover and a cold-blooded trey that silenced a hostile Detroit crowd. “I stay poised and rely on the trust and composure my teammates give me,” Brunson said. Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau praised his star’s ability to shine under pressure: “He’s at his best when his best is needed.”
The Knicks, the No. 3 seed in the East, overcame a rollercoaster game, squandering a 15-point lead in the second quarter and an 11-point edge in the fourth. Mikal Bridges added 25 points and OG Anunoby contributed 22, while clutch defense sealed the deal after Detroit’s Malik Beasley fumbled a pass with 0.4 seconds left, preventing a potential game-tying shot.
For the No. 6-seeded Pistons, Cade Cunningham led with 23 points, eight assists, and seven rebounds, but struggled from deep (0-8). Beasley scored 20 points, including 16 in the second quarter, while Tim Hardaway Jr. added seven. Despite a late 112-105 lead, Detroit couldn’t counter Brunson’s heroics. “We did so many things well and gave ourselves a chance,” said Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff. “They just made one more play.”
The Knicks now turn their attention to the second-seeded Celtics, with Game 1 set for Monday night in Boston. “They’re the defending champions, so we’re going to have to be at our best,” Thibodeau said. New York, aiming for their first Eastern Conference Finals appearance since 2000, will lean on Brunson’s unshakable focus, which Thibodeau lauded: “He doesn’t get sidetracked with anything but the game.”
