Surging Pistons hold off Knicks to win again

Malik Beasley drained two 3-pointers in the final minute Monday night to put the game away for the visiting Detroit Pistons, who held off a fourth-quarter rally by the New York Knicks to earn a 124-119 victory.

The Pistons led by as many as 11 in the first quarter and led 101-92 early in the fourth before the Knicks began to claw their way back. New York got within two points five times before Mikal Bridges sank a 3-pointer to cut the deficit to 118-117 with 1:26 left.

Cade Cunningham, who scored 29 of his game-high 36 points in the second half, missed a fallaway jumper on the Pistons’ next possession, but the Knicks turned the ball over when Karl-Anthony Towns was fouled while setting a pick against Ausar Thompson.

Then, as the shot clock wound down, Tim Hardaway Jr. a shot at the top of the key and dished to Beasley, who drained a corner 3-pointer with 39 seconds left. Jalen Brunson hit a driving layup to cut the Pistons’ lead to 121-119, but the Knicks made no mistake on the next possession and Hardaway — again with the shot clock ticking down — fed Beasley another 3-pointer from the left wing with six seconds left.

Beasley finished with 22 points off the bench while going 6-for-8 from 3-point land in less than 18 minutes. It was the ninth time this season Beasley has drained at least six 3-pointers in a game.

Thompson and Tobias Harris each had 11 points, while Hardaway and Jalen Duren finished with 10 points apiece as the Pistons (21-19) moved two games above .500 for the first time since March 30, 2019. Detroit has won 12 of its last 16.

Brunson (31 points, 11 assists). Towns (26 points, 12 rebounds) and Josh Hart (12 points, 14 rebounds) each had double-doubles for the Knicks, who led 63-59 at the half before losing for the fifth time in the last seven games. Bridges finished with 27 points.

–Field-level media