A Sense of Doubt blog post #3727 - Pistons Lose First Round NBA Playoffs to Knicks Two games to Four
It was a great season.
My Dad would have loved this Pistons season, especially the run to the playoffs and then the very hard fought battle with the New York Knicks.
Heart-breaking, like when the Detroit Tigers lost to Cleveland in the Division series last Fall, but the future is bright for this team on the rise.
I am grateful to be able to watch so many of the games! I watched the Game Two Playoff win on my phone in the Portland airport.
Thanks for tuning in.
Cade Cunningham shares JB Bickerstaff's impact on the team: Cade Cunningham explains the impact coach JB Bickerstaff has had on the Pistons.
https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/44961230/cade-cunningham-pistons-know-future-bright-even-defeat
Cade Cunningham, Pistons know future bright even after defeat
DETROIT -- Cade Cunningham couldn't shake the immediate feeling of "disappointment" after Thursday night's series-ending Game 6 playoff loss to the New York Knicks.
But after enduring a 14-68 season in 2023-24, the Detroit Pistons star, and the organization as a whole, found solace after completing a 44-win turnaround, one of the greatest in league history.
"We felt good about this series," said Cunningham, who finished with 23 points, 8 assists and 7 rebounds in a 116-113 loss. "So to not pull it out hurts, but that feeling will stick with us throughout the summer in our workouts, conversations and everything.
"We will be back and better."
Detroit made this first-round Eastern Conference playoff series competitive before falling short, as Jalen Brunson's winning 3-pointer with 4.3 seconds left Thursday night sealed it for New York. His crossover dribble between his legs created space against Pistons guard Ausar Thompson and allowed Brunson to get a clean look. He then blew a kiss to quiet the merciless crowd at Little Caesars Arena, which booed him all series.
Thompson said he would learn from the experience, and like the Pistons, he certainly left his mark on the series, even in defeat.
"That dude was tough to play against. He's big time," Brunson said of Thompson. "And I told him straight to his face after the series, he made me work. I've got a lot of respect for him."
In the second quarter, the Pistons trailed by as many as 15 points before clawing back to take a 61-59 halftime lead after a 3-point buzzer-beater by Malik Beasley. During the fourth quarter, the Pistons turned an 11-point deficit into a seven-point edge with a 20-2 run but couldn't close out the Knicks, who responded with an 11-1 run to close the game.
The Pistons now have lost 10 straight home playoff games, the longest streak in NBA postseason history. But they said there was a lot to take away from their first playoff series since 2018-19.
"Nobody believed in us. It was Detroit versus everybody, literally," said Beasley, who posted 18 points on six 3-pointers. "Even through the playoffs, we continued to fight for each other and have each other's back and we lived with the results. Like I said, it sucks, but I think we gave ourselves a chance every game and we just didn't pull through."
Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff said he felt being part of this group gave him a "renewed sense of purpose in this profession" as he watched it revitalize the fanbase.
"It's great experience," he said. "You don't get playoff experience until you get playoff experience, but I thought the guys did a tremendous job of learning from moment to moment, game to game and trying to figure out how you can have an impact on winning."
Cunningham put together an impressive playoff debut. He joined Luka Doncic (2020) and Oscar Robertson (1962) as the only players to average 25 points, 8 rebounds and 8 assists in their first playoff series in NBA history, per ESPN Research.
He said he was most proud of the jump he made in leading the team as a facilitator and teammate.
"We proved to ourselves that what we have in the room works and can be very successful in the NBA," he said. "I think at the same time, we proved that to the rest of the league as well that when they come play Detroit, it's going to be a dogfight and you're going to have to come play the whole 48 and if you get up early on, we're going to find our way back into the game and give ourselves a shot to win every night. So I think that's the thing that the whole league has taken notice, too, and just the belief in the locker room has grown a ton."
Pistons owner Tom Gores held an impromptu news conference ahead of Game 6, and while he said he anticipated this season's team would do well, he acknowledged he didn't think it would do this well.
As he looks forward, the future looks bright in Detroit with a strong foundation intact.
"How they've been able to get through adversity is so impressive. I don't get inspired by a lot, I'm really inspired by them," Gores said. "They have excited the city. I've done everything I could for this city. We buy hospitals, we try to make sure kids are OK. We do all the things that we do. I've never got the city that excited before this team showed up and they're just showing it on the floor.
"I'm sure a lot of people still are not going to predict us to get anywhere, but we're here."
https://www.espn.com/nba/recap/_/gameId/401768045DETROIT -- — Jalen Brunson's crossover dribble between his legs created space for a game-winning 3-pointer with 4.3 seconds left and he blew a kiss to a quiet crowd that relentlessly taunted him for three games.
Brunson finished with 40 points to lead the New York Knicks to a 116-113 win over the Detroit Pistons on Thursday night in Game 6 and into the second round of the NBA playoffs.
“I stay poised and I rely on the trust and composure my teammates give me," Brunson said.
A week after the point guard won the NBA’s clutch player of the year award, he lived up to the billing.
“He’s at his best when his best is needed and he’s done it all year," Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said. "That’s what makes him special.”
Detroit didn't get a shot off to potentially tie the game and send it to overtime because Malik Beasley fumbled a pass with four-tenths of a second left.
“This is tough,” said Beasley, who had 16 points in the second quarter and finished with 20. “I had a chance to make a three and tie the game. I’m mad about that.”
The third-seeded Knicks will face second-seeded Boston, shooting to advance to the Eastern Conference finals for the first time since 2000.
Game 1 is Monday night in Boston.
“They’re the defending champion so we’re going to have to be at our best,” Thibodeau said.
Mikal Bridges had 25 points and OG Anunoby added 22 for the Knicks, who closed the game out with clutch shots and stops after losing an 11-point lead in the fourth quarter and a 15-point advantage in the second quarter.
The sixth-seeded Pistons had an unprecedented turnaround during the regular season and ended the NBA’s longest playoff losing streak in their first postseason appearance since 2019, but broke another league mark with a 10th straight setback at home dating to 2008.
“We proved to ourselves and to the rest of the league that what we have in our room can be very successful,” Cunningham said.
Detroit’s Cade Cunningham had 23 points, eight assists and seven rebounds. Cunningham was 0 for 8 on 3-pointers and his backcourt mate Tim Hardaway Jr. was 1 of 6 beyond the arc and scored seven points.
Hardaway made a jumper to put Detroit ahead 112-105 with 2:35 left and Brunson responded by scoring the next five points.
Cunningham missed a contested layup with 22 seconds left that when the score was 113-all and Brunson took advantage of the opportunity to win it on the next possession.
“We did so many things well and gave ourselves a chance,” Detroit coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. “They just made one more play than we did.”
Brunson was booed almost every time he touched the ball in the series and heard much worse than that in Game 3.
It was so vulgar that Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr came to Brunson's defense.
Thibodeau, though, said no one can rattle Brunson.
“His focus is terrific," Thibodeau said. "He doesn’t get sidetracked with anything but the game. He’s not thinking about what people say, or fans.”
https://www.freep.com/story/sports/nba/pistons/2025/05/02/detorit-pistons-historic-regular-season-2025-nba-playoffs/83403901007/
For Detroit Pistons, historic regular season doesn't dull pain of 2025 NBA playoff loss
There’s no good way for the good times to end.
The Detroit Pistons are grappling with that irony after their 116-113 loss to the New York Knicks in Game 6 on May 1 — an elimination game that brought the most successful, exhilarating Pistons season in nearly two decades to an unceremonious end.
In front of a raucous, jubilant home crowd at Little Caesars Arena, they led by seven with less than three minutes to play before Jalen Brunson took over, as he’s done all series. His game-winning 3-pointer with 4.3 seconds on the clock capped an 11-3 Knicks run that snatched victory from the Pistons, who were within seconds of forcing a Game 7.
The record books will show that the 2024-25 Pistons accomplished one of the most dramatic single-season turnarounds in NBA history. To go six games in the first round of the playoffs against a contending Knicks team is the cherry on top of a transformational year that’s established them as one of the league’s brightest young squads.But losing hurts. And the Pistons, despite entering the series as the weaker seed and with a significant postseason experience gap, played the Knicks almost evenly for six games. The Pistons are a good team, presently. And they’ve established a new baseline for success — and proven the old-school Pistons formula of physical, defense-first basketball still works in 2025.
“It’s obviously disappointing,” J.B. Bickerstaff said after the game. “We thought we did so many things well and gave ourselves an opportunity. But it’s also a lot of pride. I could not be more proud of this group of guys.
"What they overcame all year long, the way they worked, how resilient they were, how unselfish they were, how willing they were to sacrifice for the guy next to them, they gave me the ability to coach them with no pushback. They gave me a renewed sense of purpose in this profession, and I can’t be more thankful or thankful to have been part of this group.”'He's been amazing'
The Pistons finished the season 44-38 overall, adding 30 wins to their 2023-24 franchise-worst record 14-68. They are the first team to triple their win total in an 82-game season. They snapped a 17-year drought without a playoff win. And their series against the Knicks revealed that they have staying power, thanks to a talented group of young players who have bought in to J.B. Bickerstaff’s defense-first.
“He’s been amazing,” Cade Cunningham said. “He’s done so many things, obviously his x’s and o’s, putting us in the right positions, allowing us to play to our strengths is what allowed us to have the year that we had.
"The way he inspired us, push us, I’ve never been with a group that was that bought in”
It was a brand-building series for the Pistons, who played the Knicks even tighter than the final series score would suggest. The final four games were all decided by three or fewer points. The team, through its competitive nature, have earned respect around the league due to their rapid turnaround from last season.
In addition to Cunningham, the Pistons got contributions from all of their young guys. Jalen Duren finished with 21 points, six rebounds and three assists, and Ausar Thompson tallied 17 points, 6 rebounds, 3 steals and 2 blocks.
“We proved to ourselves that what we had in the room works, and can be very successful in the NBA,” Cunningham said. “At the same time, we proved that to the rest of the league as well, that when they come play Detroit it’s going to be a dogfight and you’re going to play all 48.
"If you get up early on, we’re gonna find ourselves back in the game and give ourselves a shot to win every night. I think that’s the thing that the whole league has taken notice to, just the belief in the locker room has grown big time.”Silver lining
The Pistons have a lot to feel good about, especially as they head into the offseason. But the sting of the loss will linger. Before Brunson’s game-winning shot — which was against Ausar Thompson — Cunningham missed a good attempt at the line. Going from bad to good is a big feat. Going from good to great is the challenge they’ll have to solve next, and one they’re eager to tackle.
“Definitely it hurts, I don’t think anybody in there was happy to go home today,” Malik Beasley said. “It’s been us against the world, our team.
"For us to stay together, for us to build on it, obviously the pain hurts. (Thompson) was (mad) that he is the best defender in the world, he should feel like he should’ve gotten a stop on the last possession. I’m the best shooter in the world, I feel like I should’ve hit a shot on that last possession.
“With that being said, you can’t dwell on it too much. You’ve gotta get ready for the next season. This is my favorite part of the season, the offseason. This is when I get better. Just gotta stay in tune with the guys and continue to get better this whole summer.”
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- Bloggery committed by chris tower - 2505.02 - 10:10
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