NEW YORK — There the Pistons were again: in the heat of a postseason fight, up three scores with nine minutes to go, looking to put the hammer down and close out a playoff win in Madison Square Garden.
On Saturday, Detroit wilted in that heat, with a hail of turnovers and ugly shots fueling a 21-0 New York run that gave the Knicks a 1-0 lead in their first-round series. On Monday, though, the Pistons got a second chance to make a first postseason impression — and they were intent on making the most of it.