New York Knicks star Jalen Brunson delivered a clutch performance on Thursday night, scoring 40 points—including a game-winning three-pointer—to lead his team past the Detroit Pistons and into the Eastern Conference semifinals.
The Knicks sealed the series 4–2 with a dramatic 116–113 victory at Little Caesars Arena. Brunson’s late-game heroics capped a furious comeback, as New York rallied from a seven-point deficit with under three minutes remaining.
With 36 seconds left, the Knicks tied the game at 113. Pistons guard Cade Cunningham missed a potential go-ahead layup, setting the stage for Brunson to drain a cold-blooded triple with four seconds left.
“I stay poised and I rely on the trust and composure that my teammates give me,” Brunson said after the game.
Brunson was supported by Mikal Bridges with 25 points and OG Anunoby who added 22. Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau praised his star guard: “He’s at his best when his best is needed. That’s what makes him special.”
Cunningham led Detroit with 23 points, followed by 21 from Jalen Duren and 20 from Malik Beasley. Despite a strong fourth-quarter push, the Pistons fell short.
New York, the third seed in the East, now advances to face the reigning NBA champions, the Boston Celtics, in a highly anticipated semifinal series beginning Monday.
Clippers Rally Past Nuggets to Force Game 7
In Los Angeles, the Clippers bounced back from a tough Game 5 loss to defeat the Denver Nuggets 111–105, tying their Western Conference series 3–3 and setting up a decisive Game 7 in Denver on Saturday.
James Harden led the way with 28 points, while Kawhi Leonard added 27 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists. The Clippers dominated the third quarter 32–22, opening a lead that stretched to 15 points in the final minutes.
Denver narrowed the gap to five points in the final minute, but Los Angeles held on.
“It was win or go home — and we didn’t want to go home,” Harden said. “There’s still a lot we can improve, especially mentally. But now it’s all about Saturday.”
Denver’s Nikola Jokic led all scorers with 25 points, and Jamal Murray contributed 21 points, eight rebounds, and eight assists.
Interim head coach David Adelman cited the third quarter as the turning point. “We got sped up. That quarter absolutely killed us,” he said. “We’ve got to be better across all four quarters.”