As quickly as the ultimate horn sounded Saturday night time on the Knicks’ 123-112 win, Pistons ahead and Lengthy Island native Tobias Harris went over to his group’s bench and went down the road, providing phrases of encouragement to his group.
“It’s a series,” Harris reminded them. “You can’t get too high, you can’t get too low.”
For 3 quarters of Saturday’s recreation, the Pistons regarded like the higher group.
But it surely was the ultimate — and most essential 12-minute body — the place the whole lot unraveled for Detroit.
The Knicks socked the Pistons with a 21-0 run within the fourth quarter, turning an eight-point deficit right into a 13-point lead with 4:49 left.
For some groups, particularly a younger group just like the Pistons who had three starters experiencing the NBA playoffs for the primary time Saturday, that sort of late-game collapse may very well be demoralizing.
Not for the Pistons, in keeping with Harris.
In truth, Harris mentioned Detroit’s confidence stays at an “all-time high.”
“We’re in the playoffs. We know what time it is,” Harris mentioned. “This group is always about bouncing back and making sure we’re focusing, our energy level is where it needs to be. That’s why vets like myself are here to make sure this group’s spirit is up. … We’re excited and we’re embracing this challenge. Drop our first game, but we’ll be ready to go for Game 2.”
The rapid aftermath of Saturday’s recreation left an unsavory style for the Pistons, however coach J.B. Bickerstaff believes his group will in the end be higher having skilled that late-game blowup.
Observe The Publish’s protection of the Knicks within the 2025 NBA Playoffs
“These are learning lessons for us,” Bickerstaff mentioned. “We have now to be sincere with ourselves in the case of that. We talked pregame about what expertise is and that is expertise. Now you come again the following recreation and the way rapidly do you study from it?
“You’ve got guys in their first playoff game and understanding what playoff basketball is and what closing a playoff basketball game is and how hard that is.”
The largest lesson from the fourth quarter must be how rapidly the little issues, reminiscent of offensive rebounds, 50-50 balls and turnovers, can add up and be detrimental to the group.
Total, Harris and Bickerstaff have been pleased with the best way the Pistons stored their composure regardless of being the villains beneath the brilliant lights of Madison Sq. Backyard.
“[The Knicks] did what they were supposed to do in Game 1,” Bickerstaff mentioned. “Now we’ve got tape, we’ve got some experience. We can go back, break it down and be better in Game 2.”
