NBA roundup: Brunson ginites fourth-quarter surge as Knicks take Game 1 over Pistons

Jalen Brunson shook off a quiet start and erupted for 34 points to lead the New York Knicks to a 123-112 win over the Detroit Pistons in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals on Saturday. With the win, the Knicks claimed an early edge in the series, which continues Monday in New York before heading to Detroit on Thursday.

The Knicks roared back from an eight-point deficit by outscoring the Pistons 33-14 over the final 9:16 of the game. A dominant 21-0 run over nearly four and a half minutes flipped the momentum entirely in New York’s favor, giving them a 111-98 lead. Brunson capped the surge with eight points in the paint and gave New York the lead for good with a tough 2-footer over Tim Hardaway Jr. to break a 98-98 tie with 7:16 remaining.

OG Anunoby provided a spark with 23 points, including 19 in the first half, while Karl Anthony-Towns added 23 points—13 coming in the second half—along with 11 rebounds and five assists. Cameron Payne chipped in 14 points off the bench, highlighted by the game-tying 3-pointer during the Knicks’ pivotal run.

Tobias Harris led Detroit with 25 points, but the Pistons' playoff struggles continued as they dropped their 15th straight postseason game, a streak that dates back to the 2008 Eastern Conference finals.

Elsewhere in the NBA playoffs, Aaron Gordon scored six of his 25 points in overtime as the Denver Nuggets outlasted the Los Angeles Clippers 112-110 in Game 1 of their first-round Western Conference series. Nikola Jokic nearly recorded a triple-double with 29 points, 12 assists and nine rebounds, while James Harden paced the Clippers with 32 points and 11 assists.

The Minnesota Timberwolves rolled past the Los Angeles Lakers 117-95 behind Jaden McDaniels’ 25-point effort and Anthony Edwards’ near triple-double. Minnesota hit 21 three-pointers and continued their first-round dominance, improving to 5-0 in such games over the past two seasons.

In Indianapolis, the Indiana Pacers dismantled the Milwaukee Bucks 117-98 to open their first-round matchup. Pascal Siakam scored 25, while Tyrese Haliburton orchestrated the offense with 12 assists. Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 36 for the Bucks, who were without Damian Lillard due to a calf issue, but lacked support from their starters.

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