The Knicks and Detroit Pistons were tied with 1:15 left in the fourth quarter, but New York’s Game 2 comeback from a largest deficit of 15 points came up short in Monday’s 100-94 loss.
After this past Saturday’s 21-0 run sparked the Knicks’ 123-112 Game 1 win, New York’s second late surge fell flat as the Pistons evened the first-round series at 1-1 and set the stage for a pivotal Game 3.
“After a loss, it shows you the true character of a team,” said Josh Hart. “It’s the playoffs. The series is 1-1. At the end of the day, when you go out there and compete, we’re going to be in a good situation and we’ve got the firepower and the character to go out there and do that, so that’s what we’ve got to focus on.”
The best-of-seven set heads to Detroit for Thursday’s 7 p.m. tipoff after J.B. Bickerstaff‘s team snapped an NBA-record 15-game postseason skid and secured the franchise’s first playoff win since Game 4 of the 2008 Eastern Conference finals against the Boston Celtics.
“We did what we were supposed to do, and that was it,” Bickerstaff said. “To win a game on the road, to get home court was what we came here for. So we approached it with a business-like mentality and learned from the fourth quarter the other night, but we just did what we were supposed to do.”
The Knicks played catch-up Monday following a 25-18 hole in the first quarter, and New York looks to move on from a Game 2 where head coach Tom Thibodeau pointed out the discrepancies.
“Each game is different,” Thibodeau said. “You have to reset. Whether you win or lose, you reset, get ready for the next one. You’ve got to understand what goes into winning.”
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