Paul Reed Scores 22 Points as Detroit Pistons Suffer First Loss Against Knicks

Center Paul Reed delivered an impressive 22-point performance on Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden, but it was not enough to prevent the Detroit Pistons from suffering their first defeat of the season in a 111-97 loss to the New York Knicks. Making his second consecutive start while regular starting center Jalen Duren remains sidelined, Reed provided a vital interior presence before New York took control of the game.

Reed concluded the contest shooting 9-of-12 from the floor and 3-of-4 from the free-throw line, pulling down nine rebounds alongside three assists, two steals, one block, and a made three-pointer. He dominated the opening period, making five of his six field-goal attempts to amass 13 points, three rebounds, three assists, a block, and a steal in the first quarter alone. However, his scoring output slowed during the middle periods, where he recorded five points and picked up four personal fouls across the second and third quarters combined.

The Pistons entered Tuesday's game riding an undefeated start after securing early victories over Boston, Miami, and Philadelphia. Powered by Reed's fast start, Detroit surged ahead to an early 38-25 lead over the winless Knicks by the end of the first quarter, appearing positioned to capture their first 4-0 start since the 2018-19 campaign. That momentum quickly unraveled as Detroit's offense stalled in the subsequent frames.

Detroit's perimeter shooting suffered a dramatic drop after the team averaged 42 percent from long distance over its first three games. Against New York, the Pistons converted just 9 of 37 attempts from three-point range, a clip of 24.3 percent. The slump was especially noticeable during the second quarter, when Detroit shot 3-for-21 from the field and 1-for-11 from beyond the arc. Coupled with a 14-of-24 mark from the free-throw line, the Pistons were outscored 63-25 across the second and third quarters, swinging a 13-point lead into a 25-point deficit.

The Knicks avoided an 0-4 start behind standout showings from Karl-Anthony Towns and Jalen Brunson. Towns led all players with 27 points and 20 rebounds, while Brunson scored 23 points, anchoring a dominant 37-13 third quarter. Mikal Bridges added 12 points, hitting his first four three-pointers of the season, to give New York its first win since Game 5 of last season's NBA Finals and stop a six-game regular-season losing streak against Detroit.

Cade Cunningham contributed 19 points, nine rebounds, and eight assists for Detroit, though he finished 7-of-18 from the floor as the defense collapsed around him. The Pistons continue to navigate the absence of Duren, who remains out due to a right hamstring strain and is scheduled for re-evaluation in two weeks. While Reed provided substantial production in the starting lineup, Detroit missed Duren's ability to apply rim pressure and create easy opportunities near the basket.

Head coach J.B. Bickerstaff's squad mounted a late fourth-quarter surge to cut a 27-point deficit down to 11, but the gap proved too wide to erase. Now holding a 3-1 record, Detroit will look to address its offensive consistency immediately as the team returns home to face the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday night.