Feb 6, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) walks off the court after the first half against the Detroit Pistons at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

Pistons End Knicks' Eight-Game Win Streak

Originally posted on New York Knicks on SI
By Jayesh Pagar | Last updated Feb 6, 2026 10:44 PM ET

Well, that was ugly. The New York Knicks got absolutely demolished in Detroit Pistons, losing 118-80 and watching their eight-game win streak die a brutal death. Two nights after that thrilling double-overtime battle with the Denver Nuggets, New York came out flat and never recovered.

The injury report told most of the story before tipoff. Karl-Anthony Towns couldn't go after that nasty eye gash from the Nuggets game. OG Anunoby sat for the first time since late December with a sore toe. Miles McBride is heading for surgery on his core injury. Missing two starters and a key rotation guard left the Knicks scrambling from the jump.

Detroit's defense made life miserable for everyone left. Jalen Brunson couldn't get anything going, finishing with just 14 points as the Pistons swarmed him on every possession. Mitchell Robinson got bullied on the boards. The home team jumped ahead 28-17 after one quarter, then buried New York with a 35-point second quarter to take a 63-42 lead into halftime. The rout was on.

New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

Mikal Bridges did what he could, leading the Knicks with 19 points. But the help never came. Jordan Clarkson dished five assists but couldn't create enough offense. Josh Hart and Landry Shamet combined for just 10 points between them. Every time New York tried to make a run, Detroit had an answer waiting.

Pistons Bench Dominates

The shooting splits told the whole story. Detroit hit 53% from the floor while the Knicks stumbled to 35%. From three-point range, it got even uglier. The Pistons knocked down 43% compared to New York's ice-cold 24%. Cade Cunningham controlled the tempo with seven assists in only 22 minutes before J.B. Bickerstaff could pull his starters and rest them for the next game.

The Pistons' bench kept pouring it on. Daniss Jenkins came in and dropped 18 points, giving Detroit fresh legs to push the lead even wider. The home team dominated the glass 44-35 and turned 15 Knicks turnovers into easy buckets on the other end. Little Caesars Arena was rocking as the East-leading Pistons improved to 38-13, erasing the bad taste from that weird loss to Washington the night before.

This loss hurt more than just the final score. The Knicks dropped to 33-19 and fell to third place in the Eastern Conference. The Jose Alvarado trade at the deadline was supposed to add depth, but he hasn't joined the team yet.

Mike Brown cleared the bench in the fourth quarter once the game was decided. Boston is up next, and the Knicks need to get healthy in a hurry if they want to bounce back.

This article first appeared on New York Knicks on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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