The Detroit Pistons carried an eight-point lead into the fourth quarter of Saturday's Game 1 showdown with the New York Knicks. Despite a middling effort from Cade Cunningham, the Pistons were in the driver's seat with a chance to take control of home-court advantage in their first round series.
That's when it all fell apart. The Knicks outscored Detroit 40-21 in the final frame, including a prepostrous 21-0 run to put the Pistons to bed late. After three quarters of solid, physical basketball, Detroit's execution faltered and the lights got a little too bright. Such are the follies of youth.
Now the Knicks lead 1-0. This is far from the end for Detroit, but for a team with so little margin for error, these blown opportunities almost always prove fatal. The Knicks are more experienced, more talented. Cunningham has better games in his future, but does Detroit's supporting cast? That much is unclear. The Knicks will certainly put better three-quarter stretches on the board before this series is out.
One of the main culprits behind Detroit's late collapse was Tobias Harris, who gave Detroit fans — and Philadelphia 76ers — the full range of emotions on Saturday. Harris lit up New York for 22 points in the first half. Then, he went AWOL in the fourth quarter.
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Tobias Harris' uneven Game 1 performance for Pistons gives 76ers fans dèjá vu.
Before his return to Detroit, Tobias Harris spent five years in a Sixers uniform. He spent much of it as the highest-paid player on the roster.
It was a turbulent stint. While no one can deny Harris' work in the community and his leadership in the locker room, his impact on the floor was a source of frustration for fans. Harris has never been "bad." Oftentimes, he's quite good. There is value in an efficient 3-point shooter with size, which Harris has always been.
That said, Harris' indecisiveness and poor poise constantly undermined Philadelphia – especially in the playoffs.
So, when he drops 22 points in the first half against the Knicks, the very team he struggled against in his final postseason series as a Sixer, fans felt a certain type of way.
Tobias Harris 22 points at halftime for the Pistons
— Sean Barnard (@Sean_Barnard1) April 19, 2025
He did not reach 22 points in his past 13 playoff games with the Sixers and in just 11 of his 57 playoff games with Philadelphia
Pistons fans no doubt enjoyed the Harris heater. He has been a stabilizing presence for this young Detroit team all season. His ability to step up and deliver while Cade was getting his feet wet on the postseason stage was the cherry on top.
Unfortunately, the mirage evaporated in the second half. Harris scored three points in the third and fourth quarters combined, finishing with 25 points, six rebounds, and zero assists on 8-of-13 shooting in 40 minutes. It's one of those stat lines that just does not tell the complete story. Harris was productive on the whole, but his impact (at least his positive impact) was almost entirely concentrated in the first half.
Detroit will get more bites at the apple, but this felt like a must-win game if the Pistons wanted to really strike fear into New York. Now the Knicks have momentum and all the confidence. If the Pistons can't rebound with a strong Game 2 performance, fans won't have much to feel good about when the series shifts to Detroit for Game 3.