Detroit Pistons' signature win over Knicks shows hot start is real

5 days ago 2

Like many NBA teams, the Detroit Pistons usually try to avoid putting too much weight on individual games.

But Monday was an exception. They had their home game against the New York Knicks on Jan. 5 circled from the day the 2025-26 schedule was announced – the first rematch against the team that eliminated them from the postseason at the start of May 2025 grew in importance as the calendar turned to 2026.

Emotions hadn't completely faded for the Pistons after Jalen Brunson ended their surprise breakout 44-win season in the first round in six games last May.

Even setting aside recent history, it was a battle between the No. 1 and No. 2 teams in the Eastern Conference.

Eight months later, they pounced on their first opportunity to prove to the Knicks that they've surpassed them in the NBA pecking order.

Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (2) runs back after scoring a basket against New York Knicks during the second half at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit on Monday, Jan. 5, 2026.

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The Pistons trounced the Knicks at Little Caesars Arena, 121-90, for their largest win of the season. Detroit led New York for 47 minutes and 33 seconds, and by double digits during the entire second half.

The Pistons' pregame emotions gave way to an efficient, business-like performance in which they physically dominated the Knicks on both sides of the floor.

Not only does the win keep the Pistons, at 27-9, atop the East, but the Knicks (23-13) dropped to third, four games behind the Pistons and half a game behind the Boston Celtics (23-12).

"Great win for us," said Cade Cunningham, who led the Pistons with 29 points, 13 assists and two steals on 11-for-17 overall shooting in 29 minutes. "Definitely meant a lot. Obviously the playoff series last year, but them being second, us being first, them being on our heels trying to get where we’re at, we’re not trying to allow that. Big game and we came in locked in for it." The Knicks mustered just 36 points in the second half, fading against a relentless Pistons defense that slowed everyone except Jalen Brunson, who led his team with 25 points but also racked up six turnovers and no assits. They were held to 42.1% shooting and turned the ball over 20 times, off which the Pistons scored 33 points.

Pick a quarter, and the Pistons dominated. Second quarter? The Knicks had nine turnovers. Third? Just 15 points. Fourth? The Pistons turned a 20-point lead through 36 minutes into a 31-point final margin.

Put simply, the Pistons' defense translated to offense, as they shot 54.7% overall with 21 fastbreak points. For most of the second half, the Knicks simply looked overwhelmed, as though they had had enough.

The win epitomized nearly everything that has made the Pistons one of the league's elites thus far. Their depth shined — despite Tobias Harris, Jalen Duren and Caris LeVert sitting, the Pistons got big contributions from Javonte Green (17 points) and Jaden Ivey (16 points) off the bench. For the second game in a row, the starting frontcourt of Isaiah Stewart and Paul Reed set the tone defensively and physically, holding Karl-Anthony Towns to just six points on 1-for-4 shooting, plus a rebound.

"That’s what it was about for us tonight," coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. "When we defend that way, it makes our offense easy. When we get to play in transition, play on a broken floor, and play with tempo, we’ll get what we’re looking for offensively. But I couldn’t be more proud of the guys, and it was everybody. Everybody that played had the right mentality, had the right mindset, understood that this was going to be one of our identity games. And, if we play to our identity, we’re going to give ourselves a chance to win it, and I thought we did that tonight.”

Detroit Pistons forward Isaiah Stewart (28) defends New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson (23) during the first half at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit on Monday, Jan. 5, 2026.

The Little Caesars Arena crowd matched the team's energy on the floor.

"MVP" chants rained down on Cunningham throughout the night, as he put together one of his finest performances this season. Those were matched by derisive chants for Brunson, continuing the thread from last year's playoffs. The noise level nearly reached postseason levels as the Pistons pulled away for good in the second half.

In a game available across the country on NBC's streaming service, the Pistons dismantled a Knicks team expected to dominate the Eastern Conference. And they did so while down two starters and a key rotation player, on the second day of a back-to-back (after beating the Cavaliers in Cleveland on Sunday).

This as other teams at the top of the NBA have been fading, such as the Oklahoma City Thunder with six losses in 21 games after winning 24 of their first 25.

Monday undoubtedly was a signature, and meaningful, performance by the Pistons.

They took joy in acknowledging it, especially when asked where it ranked among the team's most satisfying wins.

"It’s up there, man," Cunningham said. "I feel like we’re saying this a lot this year. It’s what we’ve been doing all year. We’ve had guys step up in big moments, games we needed and make plays that allow us to win the game. It’s next-man-up mentality, this locker room is deep as it can get. We’ve got guys that star in their role and star in coming in and putting their best foot forward every night. Great team win, again."

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Contact Omari Sankofa II at osankofa@freepress.com. Follow him on X @omarisankofa.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Pistons' signature win over Knicks shows hot start is real

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