The Detroit Pistons returned this Monday, almost 17 years later, to the play-offs of the US Basketball League (NBA) play-offs, after winning at home from the New York Knicks by 100-94.
At the second meeting of the first round of play -offs, pistons interrupted a series of 15 consecutive losses – a record in the competition – in the second phase of the NBA, which lasted since the game five of the 2008 conference final against the Boston Celtics.
After ties the final of this in 2008, Pistons, champions in 1989 and 1990, totaled two defeats against Celtics, then falling 4-0 in the first round in 2009, 2016 and 2019, the last year they had hit the play-offs.
Pressed by the defeat in the first game, the pistons trembled again and letting out a good advantage, but eventually held the triumph in the Madison Square Garden, thanks to the excellent display of the Cade Cunningham base, with 33 points and 12 hits.
“It’s a great feeling. He knows how to represent the city as we did today. It was something the city had been waiting for a long time. We feel good and we are prepared to return home and play in front of them [adeptos]”Said Cunningham, the best rookie of 2021/22.
In the Knicks, Jalen Brunson reached 37 points at a meeting where Karl-Anthony Towns and Og Anunoby were in 10, after taking 23 at the first meeting of the inaugural elimination.
With a victory for each team, the third meeting of the first NBA play-off elimination is played on Thursday, already in Detroit.
No westthe Los Angeles Clippers also tied the round against Nuggets after winning in Denver 105-102 at a meeting where Kawhi Leonard scored 39 points, with a percentage of 78.9% in field releases.
For the second time in his career, Leonard went from 35 points with a percentage of more than 75% on play-offs, becoming the fourth player to get him after Dirk Nowitzki (three times), Devin Booker (two) and Shaquille O’Neal (two).
Despite seven ball losses and failed four of the 10 free releases attempted, Serbian Nikola Jokic became the great figure of Nuggets, with another triple-double, with 26 points, 12 hits and 10 assists.
The third match of the confrontation between Clippers and Nuggets is also played on Thursday in Los Angeles.
