2025-04-25T00:00:48Z

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DETROIT The New York Knicks faced intense scrutiny regarding their physicality and toughness in the lead-up to Game 3 of their playoff series against the Detroit Pistons. Determined to silence their critics, the Knicks took to the court with a fierce resolve to assert their dominance in this crucial game.

In a thrilling matchup on Thursday night at Little Caesars Arena, the Knicks emerged victorious with a narrow 118-116 win, showcasing their ability to outmuscle the Pistons despite the opposition's attempts to intimidate them, which had been evident in Games 1 and 2.

The physicality of the game was palpable, especially when tensions flared just under a minute before the first quarter concluded. Knicks center Mitchell Robinson and Pistons forward Paul Reed became embroiled in a skirmish, which escalated when Karl-Anthony Towns intervened, shoving Reed away from Robinson. Officials quickly stepped in, issuing double technical fouls to Robinson and Reed, while Towns received an additional technical foul. Although this altercation provided the Pistons with a free throw opportunity, Cade Cunningham missed the attempt. At that point, the Knicks were leading 30-27 and managed to finish the quarter ahead at 33-27.

[Reed] just came to fight. I wanted to give ourselves the best chance to win, Towns commented post-game, emphasizing the need for the team to match the physical intensity of the Pistons. "I thought we did a good job of that tonight.

Earlier that morning, Philadelphia 76ers forward Tobias Harris had taken a subtle jab at the Knicks toughness, alluding to the differences between this years Knicks squad and the one they faced in the playoffs last year. Harris remarked, Its a different dynamic, for sure. Thats all Im gonna say. Its part of our game plan. However, Harris struggled to make an impact on the court, finishing with only five points on a disappointing 2-for-9 shooting performance. After managing to hold his own defensively against Towns in the initial games, Harris found himself at a disadvantage as Towns leveraged his size to score effectively.

This prompted Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff to make a strategic switch, assigning rookie Jalen Duren the task of guarding Towns, a decision that highlighted the ongoing adjustments both teams were forced to make.

Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau praised Towns versatility, noting, I think hes comfortable playing inside and outside. The smaller guy goes on him, he goes into the post. The bigger guy goes on him, you take him away from the basket.

In a game filled with physicality, Jalen Brunson, one of the Knicks' key players, received a Flagrant 1 foul for hitting Tim Hardaway Jr. in the face during a shooting attempt, which incited a chorus of Fk you, Brunson chants from the Pistons' fanbase.

Unlike the previous games where they had been forced to respond to the Pistons' aggressive style, the Knicks took the initiative this time, setting the tone early in the contest. Thats playoff basketball, Thibodeau remarked, highlighting the importance of playing with emotion while maintaining composure.