The Detroit Pistons have finally ended their long playoff nightmare.

On Monday night, Detroit secured a hard-fought 100–94 road win over the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden, breaking their NBA-record 15-game postseason losing streak and leveling their Eastern Conference first-round series at 1–1.

Cade Cunningham starred for the Pistons, delivering a standout performance with 33 points and 12 rebounds. Veteran guard Dennis Schroder came off the bench to add 20 crucial points, including a go-ahead three-pointer with just 55.7 seconds remaining that ultimately sealed the game.

This marks Detroit’s first playoff win since May 26, 2008, when they beat the Boston Celtics in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals. It’s also their first playoff appearance since 2019.

The Pistons appeared in control for much of the game, building a 15-point lead in the third quarter. But the Knicks, led by Jalen Brunson’s 37-point night, stormed back in the fourth. A fast-break dunk by Josh Hart tied the game at 94 with just over a minute to play.

But Detroit responded immediately. Schroder knocked down a deep three to put the Pistons back on top, and the Knicks were unable to convert on their final three possessions. Jalen Duren and Schroder hit key free throws down the stretch to ice the game.

Tobias Harris chipped in 15 points and 13 rebounds, while Duren added 12 points and 13 boards. Mikal Bridges scored 19 for New York, but Karl-Anthony Towns and OG Anunoby were held to just 10 points each.

“We came here with a mission — get one on the road and bring it back home,” said Pistons coach JB Bickerstaff. “We did what we were supposed to do.”

Game 3 is set for Thursday in Detroit.

Meanwhile, in the Western Conference, Kawhi Leonard erupted for 39 points on an efficient 15-of-19 shooting to lift the Los Angeles Clippers to a 105-102 win over the Denver Nuggets, tying their series at one game apiece. Leonard rebounded from a shaky Game 1 with a dominant showing, while James Harden, Ivica Zubac, and Norman Powell also contributed key efforts.

Nikola Jokic notched a triple-double, but he and Christian Braun missed late three-point attempts as Denver failed to close it out at home. Game 3 heads to Inglewood, California, on Thursday.