4 days ago
9
Upgrade to High-Speed Internet for only ₱1499/month!
Enjoy up to 100 Mbps fiber broadband, perfect for browsing, streaming, and gaming.
Visit Suniway.ph to learn
Alder Almo - Philstar.com
April 25, 2025 | 1:12pm
Jalen Brunson of the New York Knicks is helped off the floor by Karl-Anthony Towns and teammates during the third quarter against the Detroit Pistons in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference First Round NBA Playoffs at the Little Caesars Arena on April 24, 2025 in Detroit, Michigan.
Gregory Shamus / Getty Images / AFP
NEW JERSEY, United States – The New York Knicks survived a wild ending in Detroit as they took a 2-1 series lead against the gritty Pistons with a 118-116 escape act in Game 3 on Thursday (Friday Manila time).
With 0.5 seconds left, all Jalen Brunson needed to do was miss his second free throw to seal the win for the Knicks, which he did. But the game clock at Little Caesars Arena malfunctioned as the buzzer went off before anyone grabbed the rebound.
The Pistons got a free timeout while the referees reviewed the play. They reset the clock and awarded a sideline inbound to the Pistons.
Fortunately for the Knicks, the Pistons turned the ball over on the inbound play.
The No. 3 seed Knicks heaved a sigh of relief as they escaped with the pivotal win to regain home-court advantage after losing Game 2 in New York.
“I ain’t gonna lie to you, shout out to the table [officials], man,” Knicks All-Star center Karl-Anthony Towns said during his post-game interview. “Giving your team another chance like that is fire. I gotta give them a lot of respect for that. I’ve never seen that in my 10 years of [NBA] basketball.”
Even New York coach Tom Thibodeau was perplexed by the bizarre ending.
"They (referees) did say that's what's in the rules," Thibodeau said, referring to the Pistons’ sideline inbound. "But that doesn't seem right to me. It's unfortunate. That should never happen, ever, in a playoff game. Never happen.”
Towns led the way for the Knicks with 31 points, bouncing back from his 10-point outing in Game 2.
Brunson made sure his big man got the ball this time after Towns did not score in the final 19 minutes of Game 2. He spread the offense, dishing out nine assists, and still reached 30 points with 12 in the fourth quarter.
Towns and Brunson became the fourth Knicks duo and first since 1999 to have 30-point games at the same time in the playoffs. They joined Allan Houston and Latrell Sprewell (1999), Patrick Ewing and Johnny Newman (1988), and Dick Barnett and Cazzie Russell (1968).
It was a gutsy win for the Knicks, who also drew 22 points from OG Anunoby and 20 from Mikal Bridges.
After taking the series lead, the Knicks are now -550 favorites to advance in the Eastern Conference semifinal at William Hill sportsbook, the top bookmaker for bet builders, according to Esports News UK.
Cade Cunningham and former Knicks guard Tim Hardaway Jr. led the Pistons with 24 points each.
Game 4 is on Sunday (Monday Manila time) in Detroit with the Pistons expected to go all-out to tie the series and avoid going back to New York down 3-1.
--
Alder Almo is a former senior sportswriter for Philstar.com and NBA.com Philippines. He is now based in Jersey City, New Jersey, and writes for US-based publication Heavy.com.
