Pistons snap NBA-record, 15-game postseason losing streak, beating Knicks 100-94 in Game 2

NEW YORK (AP) — Cade Cunningham wasn't thinking about himself after the first postseason victory of his career. His focus was on all the Detroit fans who stuck by the Pistons during 17 years since the last one.

Now Cunningham and his teammates want to give those fans more than just a game. They want to get them a series.

Cunningham had 33 points and 12 rebounds, Dennis Schroder made the tiebreaking 3-pointer with 55 seconds left, and the Pistons snapped their NBA-record, 15-game postseason losing streak by beating the New York Knicks 100-94 on Monday night in Game 2 of their playoff series.

“It’s a great feeling. It feels good to represent the city like we did tonight,” Cunningham said. “It’s something that the city been waiting on for a long time, so we feel good about it and we’re ready to get back to the crib and perform in front of them.”

The Pistons, who hadn’t even been to the postseason since 2019, recovered after the Knicks erased a 15-point deficit to earn their first playoff victory since Game 4 of the 2008 Eastern Conference finals against Boston. The Celtics won the final two games of that series and the Pistons were then swept in 2009, 2016 and 2019 before dropping Game 1 at Madison Square Garden.

Now they are back in the win column, all tied in the series and will host Game 3 on Thursday night.

Schroder, who wasn’t even on the Pistons until a trade in February, nailed the 3-pointer after the Knicks had used a 16-4 run to tie it at 94 on Josh Hart’s dunk. He finished with 20 points off the bench.

The Pistons engineered one of the biggest turnarounds in NBA history this season, going 44-38 after a 14-win season in 2023-24 that included a 28-game losing streak, longest ever in a single season.

They were then in good shape to win Game 1 with an eight-point lead after three quarters, before the Knicks used a 21-0 run in the fourth to win 123-112. Detroit built another eight-point advantage after three Monday, and this time made the big plays after another Knicks rally.

“We got bigger things we’re out here for,” coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. “So our focus, and that’s why our guys have been able to grow and be consistent, because they just think about the now and I thought they did a great job tonight of staying in the moment and doing what we needed to do.”

Jalen Brunson scored 37 points for the No. 3-seeded Knicks, but Karl-Anthony Towns and OG Anunoby were each limited to 10 after both finished with 23 points in the opener.

“And now it’s on us to respond,” Brunson said.

Cunningham bounced back with a strong performance after the All-Star guard was just 8 for 21 in Game 1. The Knicks struggled to keep him out of the paint and defend him without fouling, as the Pistons shot 14 free throws to the Knicks’ two while building a 55-49 lead at halftime.

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Detroit Pistons center Jalen Duren (0) catches a rebound during the second half of Game 2 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series against the New York Knicks, Monday, April 21, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Angelina Katsanis)

Detroit Pistons guard Dennis Schroder, center, leaps to pass the ball during the second half of Game 2 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series against the New York Knicks, Monday, April 21, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Angelina Katsanis)

Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (2) scores and knocks down New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) during the first half of Game 2 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series, Monday, April 21, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Angelina Katsanis)

New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) looks for an opening against the Detroit Pistons during the first half of Game 2 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series, Monday, April 21, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Angelina Katsanis)

Detroit Pistons forward Tobias Harris (12) reacts as he falls to the floor during the first half of Game 2 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series against the New York Knicks, Monday, April 21, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Angelina Katsanis)

Detroit Pistons forwards Paul Reed, right, and Tobias Harris (12) race for a rebound ball during the first quarter of Game 2 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series against the New York Knicks, Monday, April 21, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Angelina Katsanis)

New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns, top left, loses the ball to Detroit Pistons center Jalen Duren (0) at the end of Game 2 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series, Monday, April 21, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Angelina Katsanis)

Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (2) drives toward the basket against New York Knicks' Mikal Bridges during the first half of Game 2 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series, Monday, April 21, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Angelina Katsanis)

Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (2) and forward Tobias Harris (12) high-five at the end of Game 2 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series against the New York Knicks, Monday, April 21, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Angelina Katsanis)

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — With the Los Angeles Clippers' season on the brink, Tyronn Lue took the unusual step of checking in with several players by phone on their off day. The coach said he “took a lot of temperatures,” making sure they were mentally ready to fight for their playoff lives.

In Game 6, the Clippers answered his call.

James Harden had 28 points and eight assists in an outstanding bounce-back performance, Kawhi Leonard added 27 points and the Clippers forced a seventh game in their first-round NBA playoff series with a 111-105 victory over the Denver Nuggets on Thursday night.

Norman Powell scored 24 points for the Clippers, who rebounded from back-to-back losses with an impressive effort at new Intuit Dome. Los Angeles took control in the second half while playing tenacious defense on Nikola Jokic, who scored 20 of his 25 points in the first half.

“I give our guys credit for just staying with it,” Lue said. “(They) don’t get deflated, and we did a good job. ... I told the guys after the game, it’s about being a team and whatever it takes to win. Those guys totally understood it.”

Game 7 is Saturday in Denver.

Jamal Murray scored 21 points for the Nuggets, who lost a potential series-clinching playoff game for the fourth time in five tries over the past two seasons since their 2023 championship run. Denver also blew a 3-2 series lead over Minnesota in the second round last season.

The Nuggets haven’t won a Game 7 since 2020, when they ousted the Clippers from the conference semifinals in the Florida bubble.

“They were quicker to the punch,” Murray said. “They played with a lot more desperation because their backs were against the wall, and you’ve got to give them credit. The whole game, they brought it.”

The Clippers were pushed to this comeback win by the 35-year-old Harden, who played aggressively and craftily after receiving criticism for a passive effort in Game 5. Leonard also stepped up, with the two-time NBA champion adding 10 rebounds and five assists in an assertive outing.

“It was win or go home, so there were opportunities to be aggressive, and I took them,” Harden said. “One more game. ... We didn't want to go home. We've got one more game left.”

Ivica Zubac and Nicolas Batum teamed up for a surprisingly effective defensive effort on the typically unguardable Jokic. The three-time MVP was held scoreless for 11 minutes in the third quarter and went only 2 for 9 in the second half.

Los Angeles led by 15 with less than six minutes to play, but Denver made an 11-2 run to trim the Clippers’ lead to 107-101 before Powell buried a 3-pointer with 1:47 left.

Powell’s clutch bucket was Los Angeles’ only field goal in the final 5:57, but the Clips hung on with defense. Russell Westbrook missed a layup under pressure and had another layup blocked on consecutive possessions in the final minutes, and Zubac blocked a layup attempt by Jokic with 24 seconds left.

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Los Angeles Clippers guard James Harden, right, tries to pass while under pressure from Denver Nuggets guard Christian Braun during the second half in Game 6 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series Thursday, May 1, 2025, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Denver Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr., right, tries to shoot as Los Angeles Clippers guard Norman Powell defends during the second half in Game 6 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series Thursday, May 1, 2025, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard celebrates after scoring during the second half in Game 6 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series against the Denver Nuggets, Thursday, May 1, 2025, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Los Angeles Clippers center Ivica Zubac, left, and Denver Nuggets guard Russell Westbrook reach for a rebound during the second half in Game 6 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series Thursday, May 1, 2025, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard, second from right, shoots as Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray, left, forward Michael Porter Jr., second from left, and guard Christian Braun defend during the second half in Game 6 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series Thursday, May 1, 2025, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, second from left, shoots as Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard, left, and guard Kris Dunn defend during the first half in Game 6 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series Thursday, May 1, 2025, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Denver Nuggets guard Christian Braun, right, shoots as Los Angeles Clippers guard Kris Dunn, left, and center Ivica Zubac defend during the first half in Game 6 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series Thursday, May 1, 2025, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, right, drives against Los Angeles Clippers center Ivica Zubac during the first half in Game 6 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series Thursday, May 1, 2025, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, left, and Los Angeles Clippers center Ivica Zubac reach for a rebound during the first half in Game 6 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series Thursday, May 1, 2025, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Los Angeles Clippers guard James Harden, right, shoots as Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray defends during the first half in Game 6 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series Thursday, May 1, 2025, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)