37 Not Enough For Brunson In Game 2 Loss
Photo: Special to the NY Beacon
By Shara Talia Taylor
The playoff series was tied 1-1 after the New York Knicks loss Game 2 to the Detroit Pistons 100-94 Monday night at Madison Square Garden.
This time the extra effort in the fourth quarter was not enough for New York to push pass Detroit as they did in Game 1. It was a competitive game as teams matched shot for shot, but the Knicks were out-scored in the each of the earlier three quarters.
“I feel like they picked up their intensity,” Jalen Brunson said about whether Detroit increased defense from Game1. “It’s just a natural reaction when you’re in the playoffs and when you lose you find a way to figure out how to come back the next game to be better.”
He said now they have to respond. “The rebounding was problematic the whole night so that’s probably the difference in the game,” said Coach Tom Thibodeau said. “You got to get stops.
The Knicks were out-rebounded 48-34 in the game.
It was an exciting fast paced first quarter battle. New York led 16-15 at first time out. Things quickly changed and the Knicks shots were not falling the same. They made about 40% of their attempted field goals in the quarter while Detroit made about 50% of theirs. New York made zero 3-pointers in the first quarter and Detroit made about 33%. New York improved in the second quarter alone with field goals and 3-pointers, but fell behind with field goals in the third quarter,
The Knicks trailed the Pistons 25-18 at the end of the first quarter, 55-49 at half time and 75-67 at the end of the third quarter.
Brunson had a game high 37 points. Cade Cunningham led Detroit with 33 points .
“You can defend him perfectly and he still has the ability to make a shot or make a play and so you have to have the wherewithal to continue to do it throughout the 48 minutes,” Coach Thibodeau said in his pregame interview when asked whether he planned to increase defense on Cunningham.
He said the goal was to try to make him work. The Knicks will have to adjust their approach for Game 3 as they go on the road to face Detroit.
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