Last updated: Oct. 28, 2026
For one quarter on Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden, the Detroit Pistons looked like the team that had won its first three games. Then the offense went cold, the New York Knicks found the defense that carried them to last season’s championship, and Detroit’s unbeaten start ended in a 111-97 loss.
The result leaves the Pistons at 3-1 and gives the Knicks, who had opened their title defense with three straight losses, their first win of the season, The Associated Press reported. For Detroit, the more pressing concern is what the game revealed about life without Jalen Duren: a short-handed front line, foul trouble and long stretches with no reliable source of points behind Cade Cunningham. The Pistons have little time to sort it out. They host the Charlotte Hornets at 7 p.m. ET on Wednesday, the second night of a back-to-back.
How the Knicks turned a 13-point deficit into a rout
Detroit scored 38 points in the first quarter and led 38-25 after 12 minutes, with the lead reaching 15 at one point, according to ESPN. Paul Reed, starting at center in Duren’s place, scored 13 of his points in the opening quarter, the New York Post reported.
The game turned over the next two quarters. The Pistons shot 3 of 21 from the field in the second quarter and 6 of 21 in the third, making one 3-pointer in each, according to the Post. New York outscored Detroit 63-25 across those two periods, ESPN reported. Jalen Brunson’s free throws gave the Knicks a one-point lead at halftime, and they opened the third quarter with an 11-0 run capped by a Mikal Bridges 3-pointer that made it 62-50, according to The A.P.
New York won the third quarter 37-13. Karl-Anthony Towns scored seven straight Knicks points during the surge, and Josh Hart’s 3-pointer at the buzzer made it 88-63 entering the fourth, The A.P. reported. Detroit cut the deficit to 11 with 2 minutes 36 seconds left before another Hart 3-pointer ended any thought of a comeback.
Pistons vs. Knicks by the numbers
| Player | Line |
|---|---|
| Paul Reed, DET | 22 points, 9 rebounds (9 of 12 shooting) |
| Cade Cunningham, DET | 19 points, 9 rebounds, 8 assists |
| Duncan Robinson, DET | 12 points (2 of 10 on 3-pointers) |
| Ausar Thompson, DET | 11 points, 6 rebounds; fouled out |
| Karl-Anthony Towns, NYK | 27 points, 20 rebounds |
| Jalen Brunson, NYK | 23 points (5 of 18 shooting) |
| Mikal Bridges, NYK | 12 points, four 3-pointers |
What the loss says about the Pistons without Duren
Duren, the All-Star center who signed a five-year, $200 million contract this month, strained his right hamstring in the first half of Friday’s win at Miami and will miss at least two weeks, the team said, according to an A.P. report on NBA.com. Coach J.B. Bickerstaff said before Sunday’s game in Philadelphia that it was “tough” to lose a player who means so much to the team.
Tuesday showed why. Reed was efficient, making 9 of 12 shots, but he picked up a flagrant foul for an elbow on Towns and his fifth foul with 7:21 left in the third quarter, according to The Detroit News (via Yahoo Sports) and the Post. Ausar Thompson, back after missing a game with a right ankle sprain, drew much of the Brunson assignment and fouled out with 2:49 left. Brunson shot 5 of 18 but reached the line often enough to score 23.
Without a second steady scorer, Detroit leaned on Cunningham, who went 4 of 14 after the first quarter, ESPN reported. The Pistons were also without guard Isaiah Joe, who sat with a right hip contusion and is questionable for Wednesday, according to The Detroit News.
Context matters here. Detroit swept all three meetings with New York last season, by scores of 121-90, 118-80 and 126-111, and had won six straight regular-season games in the series before Tuesday, according to The A.P. One loss on the final night of a three-game road trip does not undo a 3-0 start that included a comeback from 22 points down against Boston in the opener. What remains unknown is how long Duren will be out beyond the two-week minimum, and whether the team will add size while he recovers.
What’s next: Pistons vs. Hornets and the week ahead
Detroit returns to Little Caesars Arena on Wednesday to face Charlotte, which is also 3-1. Tipoff is 7 p.m. ET, and the game airs locally on The Spot – Detroit 20 and streams on DAZN. Here is the rest of the week, with times and TV from our Detroit Pistons schedule and TV guide:
- Wed., Oct. 28: vs. Charlotte, 7 p.m. ET, The Spot – Detroit 20 / DAZN
- Fri., Oct. 30: at Brooklyn, 7:30 p.m. ET, The Spot – Detroit 20 / DAZN
- Mon., Nov. 2: at Charlotte, 7:30 p.m. ET, The Spot – Detroit 20 / DAZN
- Wed., Nov. 4: vs. Philadelphia, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN
Before Pistons vs. Hornets tonight:
- Check the team’s injury report in the afternoon for updates on Isaiah Joe, who is listed as questionable.
- Tune to Channel 20 with an antenna or cable, or open DAZN if you stream, by 7 p.m. ET.
- Watch the frontcourt: with Duren out, how Reed and the bench handle fouls is the storyline to follow.
- Going to Little Caesars Arena? Buy tickets only through the team or arena and plan for downtown traffic before tipoff.
Broadcast assignments can change, so confirm on game day on the official Pistons schedule. For final scores from every Detroit team, see our latest Detroit sports scores.
Pistons vs. Knicks FAQ
What was the final score of Pistons vs. Knicks?
The Knicks won 111-97 on Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2026, at Madison Square Garden. It was Detroit’s first loss of the season and New York’s first win.
What is the Pistons’ record?
Detroit is 3-1 after the loss. The Knicks improved to 1-3.
How long is Jalen Duren out?
At least two weeks with a strained right hamstring, according to the team’s update on Oct. 25. He was hurt in the Oct. 23 win at Miami and has missed two games.
When do the Pistons play next?
Wednesday, Oct. 28, against the Charlotte Hornets at Little Caesars Arena, 7 p.m. ET, on The Spot – Detroit 20 and DAZN.
Sources: ESPN; The Associated Press; The Detroit News; New York Post; CBS Sports. Stats are from published game reports and may be revised by the league.
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