Knicks End Pistons' Perfect Start in 111-97 Win
Jalen Brunson scored 23 points in a dominant third quarter as New York defeated Detroit, stopping a potential historic losing streak for a defending champion.
By Anthony Lawson ·
Defending NBA champions often face a difficult adjustment period in their first season back, but the New York Knicks avoided a rare historical trap on Tuesday night. By defeating the previously undefeated Detroit Pistons 111-97, New York prevented what would have been only the second 0-4 start by a title holder in league history.
The victory marks the Knicks' first win since Game 5 of the NBA Finals last spring. They had lost their first three games of the season to Philadelphia, Boston, and Orlando. Another loss would have tied the 1969-70 Boston Celtics for the most games lost to start a season after winning a championship.
Jalen Brunson, who had been shooting 39% from the field and was 1 for 9 in the first half, led the turnaround. He finished with 23 points. The Knicks outscored the Pistons 37-13 in the third quarter, a run that established a 25-point lead. Mikal Bridges added 12 points after making his first four 3-point attempts of the season.
Karl-Anthony Towns recorded a double-double with 27 points and 20 rebounds. He scored seven straight points late in the third quarter, and Josh Hart hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer to close the period with New York up 88-63.
Detroit, which entered the game with a 3-1 record, had handled New York better than any other team in the previous regular season. The Pistons beat the Knicks 121-90, 118-80, and 126-111 in 2025-26 and had won their last six regular season meetings. Cade Cunningham had 19 points, nine rebounds, and eight assists in the loss.
Paul Reed started at center for the Pistons in place of injured Jalen Duren. Reed contributed 22 points and nine rebounds. Detroit had been seeking its first 4-0 start since the 2018-19 season.
The Pistons will host Charlotte on Wednesday night, while the Knicks will visit Chicago at the same time.
