Buckle up.
The Knicks appear to be in for a long series.
With a chance to bury the Pistons, they instead laid an egg for most of the evening.
Two nights after stealing Game 1, Tom Thibodeau’s team again was outplayed, and this time there wasn’t enough fourth quarter Garden magic to overcome a shoddy first three quarters.
Cade Cunningham was the best player on the floor, as Detroit took home-court advantage in this best-of-seven, opening-round playoff series Monday night with a 100-94 victory at a quiet MSG to snap an NBA-record, 15-game playoff losing streak that dated back to 2008.
“When you’re winning, everything’s easy. After a loss, you see the true character of a team,” Josh Hart said. “It’s the playoffs. The series is 1-1.”
A pivotal Game 3 awaits Thursday night in Detroit.
OG Anunoby reacts during the Knicks’ playoff game against the Pistons on April 21. Charles Wenzelberg
Cade Cunningham drives to the basket during the Pistons’ game against the Pistons on April 21. Charles Wenzelberg
Only Jalen Brunson (37 points, seven assists) really brought it for the Knicks, and even he wasn’t at his best, committing six turnovers.
OG Anunoby, so good in the series opener, couldn’t slow down Cunningham, who had his way with the Knicks en route to 33 points and 12 rebounds.
Karl-Anthony Towns (10 points) didn’t take a shot over the final 17:20, and the Pistons reserves piled up 35 points, 20 by journeyman guard Dennis Schröder, a thorn in the Knicks side.
Schröder hit the tiebreaking 3-pointer with 56.2 seconds left after Brunson had rallied the Knicks from a 15-point deficit. Brunson and Mikal Bridges each missed game-tying 3-pointers in the final minute, and Bridges finished 3-of-11 from downtown.
He also missed his last four shots, all in the final 3:55.
“Yeah, same thing [as Game 1],” coach Tom Thibodeau said. “We made a comeback. We had a good shot at the end, and it didn’t go in.”
It was a shaky performance overall for the Knicks, who committed 14 turnovers, were minus-14 on the glass and have now been outscored by the Pistons by 16 points if you take away the fourth quarter of the two games.
Thibodeau took issue with the lopsided disparity in free throws, the Pistons attempting 14 before the Knicks took their first one and going to the charity stripe 15 more times.
Jalen Brunson reacts during Game 2 between the Knicks and Pistons on April 21. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
“Obviously, huge discrepancy in free throws — huge,” the Knicks coach said. “So I 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 [Brunson] getting fouled, it’s not called. And, look, I don’t give a crap how they call a game, as long as it’s consistent on both sides.”
Similar to Game 1, the Knicks didn’t play particularly well in the first half.
They missed their first eight 3-point attempts, committed 10 turnovers and didn’t attempt their first free throw until 17.4 seconds remained in the half.
It led to a loud, “Ref, you suck” chant from the Garden faithful.
When Brunson finally was awarded two free throws, there was a sarcastic cheer.
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But despite so much going wrong, the Knicks only trailed by six at the break.
Brunson (17 points, four assists) and Bridges (13 points, three steals) were the best players in orange and blue.
They scored nine points in a 14-5 run late in the half, the Knicks’ strongest stretch over the first two quarters.
Karl-Anthony Towns dunks the ball during Game 2 between the Knicks and Pistons on April 21. Jason Szenes for the NY Post
They went back into the tank at the start of the third, managing just four points over the first 7:21 of the period.
They missed 10 of their first 11 shots and trailed by 15 when Jalen Duren finished off a Cunningham drive inside.
The Knicks did awaken and trailed by eight — just like Saturday night — entering the final 12 minutes, although their 67 points were their fewest through three quarters all year.
Miles McBride banked in a 3-pointer as the shot clock expired, the kind of shot that made you think the Knicks had another rally in them.
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Josh Hart reacts during Game 2 between the Knicks and the Pistons on April 21. Jason Szenes for the NY Post
They did get even, but this time, the Knicks couldn’t get over the hump.
They paid for their uneven effort Monday night.
“Not every day you’re gonna get a 21-0 run,” Towns said. “We can’t be expecting stuff like that, can’t expect to flip a switch and then all of a sudden we’re the team that we worked so hard all year to be. We gotta bring that execution and discipline all game.”