Game 3 between the Knicks and Pistons was pure playoff drama. From intensity and controversy to going down to the last second for a final decision, it had everything. Despite that, Jalen Brunson’s team edged out the home team 118-116 to take a 2-1 lead in the first-round series.
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At the post-game presser, Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns sat down to discuss a bizarre clock mishap that happened in the final 0.5 seconds of the game. It left players, coaches, and fans stunned.
With just half a second left, Brunson stepped up to the charity stripe to shoot two free throws. The Knicks guard made the first FT and intentionally missed the second one. He didn’t want to give the Pistons a clean possession so they could potentially make a comeback, as his team had a two-point lead. While the ball was still in the air, the lights went off.
The Pistons then missed their chance of grabbing the inbound ball. The entire time, the clock remained steady at 0.5 seconds. Luckily for the Knicks, the Pistons, despite being handed a golden opportunity, failed to capitalize. The Knicks closed out the away game in their favor.
Brunson and KAT were asked if they’ve ever seen a team with “no timeouts, get the ball back, side out, when the buzzer goes off like that.” The Knicks duo seemed impressed by the operating team’s dedication to handing the Pistons one opportunity after the other. Brunson said, “They need a raise for that. Smart on their part.”
Jalen: "They need a raise for that. Smart on their part"
KAT: "10 years I ain't never seen that. They gave 'em a chance. I got nothing but respect for that" 🤣 https://t.co/juhVGVXMeo pic.twitter.com/bWYrybSLLh
— Oh No He Didn't (@ohnohedidnt24) April 25, 2025
KAT gave them a shoutout. He stated that in his 10 years in the league, he has never seen something like this before. He said, “10 years I ain’t never seen that. They gave ’em a chance. Shoutout to them. I got nothing but respect for that.”
The game had a dramatic ending, and both teams benefited from a few officiating errors. While the Pistons had the clock running in their favor, Brunson’s backcourt violation wasn’t called by the refs with less than six seconds left on the clock.
The discussions over these errors will continue for a while. What truly matters is that the Knicks are now in the lead, and the Pistons have to make the most of their next home game to level the series.
