Detroit Pistons end NBA playoff losing streak with win over Knicks

Cade Cunningham leads Pistons past Knicks to snap 15-game skid and tie Eastern Conference series.

Cade Cunningham #2 of the Detroit Pistons drives to the basket past Josh Hart #3 and OG Anunoby #8 of the New York Knicks during the second quarter of Game Two in the Eastern Conference First Round of the NBA Playoffs at Madison Square Garden, on April 21, 2025, in New York City. Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images

By Anna Fadiah and Hayu Andini

The Detroit Pistons ended their record-breaking 15-game NBA playoff losing streak on Monday night, securing a dramatic 100-94 win over the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. With this victory, the Pistons tied their Eastern Conference first-round series at one game apiece and reignited hope in a franchise that hadn’t tasted postseason success in over a decade.

The game’s hero was Cade Cunningham, who poured in 33 points and grabbed 12 rebounds in a commanding performance. Dennis Schroder added 20 points off the bench and hit a pivotal go-ahead three-pointer with 55.7 seconds left, helping Detroit hold off a late Knicks charge.

It was a significant moment for the Pistons, whose last playoff win came in May 2008, during the Eastern Conference finals against the Boston Celtics. After years of rebuilding and repeated postseason disappointments, breaking the Detroit Pistons playoff losing streak marked a turning point.

Cunningham leads charge to end Pistons playoff drought

From the opening tip, the Pistons showed urgency and purpose. They built a 15-point lead in the third quarter before the Knicks, led by Jalen Brunson, clawed back. Brunson scored 14 of his 37 points in the fourth quarter, tying the game at 94-94 with just over a minute remaining after assisting on a Josh Hart dunk.

But on the ensuing possession, Schroder calmly sank a deep three-pointer that silenced the home crowd and swung the momentum back in Detroit’s favor. From there, the Pistons tightened their defense, forcing three consecutive empty possessions from New York, while Schroder and Jalen Duren iced the game at the free-throw line.

Tobias Harris contributed 15 points and 13 rebounds, and Duren added 12 points and 13 boards, as Detroit dominated the glass and controlled the tempo in crucial stretches. Game three shifts to Detroit on Thursday, where fans will witness a long-awaited home playoff game after years of disappointment.

“Feels good to represent the city like we did tonight,” Cunningham said postgame. “It’s something that the city's been waiting on 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.”

Knicks lament missed chances and officiating frustration

Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau voiced frustration with the officiating, pointing to a significant disparity in free-throw attempts. The Pistons were awarded 34 trips to the line compared to New York’s 19.

“If Cunningham’s driving and there’s marginal contact and he’s getting to the line, then Jalen (Brunson) deserves to be getting to the line,” Thibodeau said.

Despite Brunson’s offensive brilliance, the Knicks failed to generate consistent support around him. Julius Randle struggled to find rhythm, and New York’s bench lacked the scoring punch to match Schroder and the Pistons’ reserves.

Now tied at one game each, the series pivots to Detroit with momentum on the Pistons’ side. Ending the Detroit Pistons playoff losing streak wasn’t just a victory—it was a statement that the team is no longer content with being a postseason footnote.

Clippers bounce back with Kawhi Leonard leading the way

Meanwhile, in the Western Conference, the Los Angeles Clippers mirrored the Pistons’ resilience by bouncing back from their game-one overtime loss to the Denver Nuggets with a 105-102 road win. Kawhi Leonard delivered a vintage performance, scoring 39 points on an incredibly efficient 15-of-19 shooting.

Leonard was locked in from the start, making nine of his first ten shots and capping the first half with a buzzer-beating three-pointer that gave the Clippers a 55-52 halftime lead. His ability to rise to the occasion was crucial in a game that featured 18 lead changes and came down to the final possessions.

The reigning NBA MVP, Nikola Jokic, did all he could with a triple-double of 26 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists, but the Clippers made key plays down the stretch. After Jamal Murray tied the game at 100 with just over two minutes remaining, Norman Powell came up with a clutch steal and three-pointer, followed by Leonard’s jumper to make it 105-102.

On the next possession, Leonard read Jokic perfectly, intercepting a pass with 37.3 seconds left. Denver had two chances to tie in the final seconds, but missed opportunities by Christian Braun and Jokic allowed the Clippers to escape with the win.

Leonard’s legacy and the Clippers’ championship hopes

Kawhi Leonard’s career has been marred by injuries in recent seasons, but performances like this remind fans and analysts alike why he remains one of the most feared postseason performers in the league. A two-time NBA champion, Leonard was unshakable under pressure.

“I just kept going and stayed in the zone,” Leonard said. “I didn’t worry about what shots were making or missing. I just kept shooting.”

The Clippers’ supporting cast stepped up as well, with Powell scoring 18 points and Ivica Zubac anchoring the interior with key rebounds and rim protection. With the series tied at 1-1, the teams head to Los Angeles for game three, where home-court advantage could prove decisive.

Pistons and Clippers prove playoff resilience

The narrative of Monday night’s playoff action was one of redemption and resistance. Both the Detroit Pistons and Los Angeles Clippers erased the frustrations of their respective game-one losses in dramatically different ways but with the same result—leveling their series and sending a message to the rest of the league.

For Detroit, breaking the long-standing Pistons playoff losing streak not only lifted a psychological burden but also signaled the arrival of a new era led by Cade Cunningham. For the Clippers, Leonard’s dominance rekindled belief that a deep playoff run remains within reach.

As both series move forward, the spotlight now shifts to how each team can build on the momentum. The Pistons return home to a fanbase that has waited 16 years to celebrate a postseason victory. The Clippers bring their battle-tested roster back to Los Angeles hoping to take command of their series.

In both cities, the stakes are rising—and the drama is just beginning.