Pistons crush Knicks and take control of Eastern Conference

The Eastern Conference showdown never materialized. The Detroit Pistons delivered a true basketball lesson to the New York Knicks on Monday night at Little Caesars Arena, winning 121-90 in what was supposed to be a battle between title contenders. This 31-point victory marks the fourth largest regular season win for Detroit over New York in franchise history.

Cade Cunningham delivered one of his most complete performances of the season with 29 points on 11/17 shooting and 13 assists in just 29 minutes of play. The Pistons’ point guard was serenaded with « MVP » chants throughout the evening, dominating his matchup against Jalen Brunson who finished with 25 points but zero assists and six turnovers.

Knicks in crisis despite stated ambitions

This fourth consecutive defeat plunges the Knicks into their longest losing streak in two seasons. New York, who entered with a 23-13 record, sees Boston reclaim second place in the Eastern Conference. Karl-Anthony Towns, limited to 23 minutes and posting a -27 differential, didn’t mince words: « It’s okay to be in a rough patch, it happens during a season. But this is a bad, very bad moment. We can’t be this bad. »

Coach Mike Brown was equally direct in his analysis: « It’s pretty simple. They physically beat us up. » The Knicks surrendered 20 turnovers and were dominated on the boards 44-30, demonstrating their lack of defensive intensity since Josh Hart’s absence.

Jalen Brunson was cryptic after the game: « A lot of things need to be addressed. We need to respond. A lot more needs to be said. We’re keeping that internal. If we want to be the team we say we want to be, we have to be better, it’s that simple. »

This debacle ironically comes on the same day Knicks owner James Dolan told New York radio his expectations of seeing his team reach the NBA Finals. With a 27-9 record, Detroit sends a strong message to the competition and confirms their status as Eastern Conference favorites, even without Jalen Duren and Tobias Harris. The two teams will meet again on February 6 for a highly anticipated rematch.