The Detroit Pistons veterans led them early, but in a critical fourth quarter, the team’s youth and inexperience showed. The Pistons went from up eight points early in the fourth quarter to down 13 after giving up a 21-point run to the Knicks in the 123-112 loss.
Before the series began, we talked about how playoff basketball was different and that for this young team, it was going to be baptism by fire. They acquitted themselves well for the first three quarters in a largely back-and-forth game. They navigated an engaged Knicks defense, they hit open shots, they moved the ball well, and they played spirited defense.