Towns Dominates as Defending Champion Knicks Top Pistons 111–97 for First Win of Season

NEW YORK — Star center Karl-Anthony Towns delivered a dominant performance to get the defending NBA champions into the win column. Behind Towns’ 27 points and 20 rebounds, the New York Knicks defeated the previously undefeated Detroit Pistons 111–97 at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday night to secure their first victory of the 2026–27 regular season.

The victory relief was palpable inside The Garden as the Knicks avoided what would have been just the second 0–4 start by a reigning NBA champion in league history.

A Game of Explosive Runs

The evening started as a potential nightmare for New York when Detroit stormed out of the gates. Led by Paul Reed (22 points, 9 rebounds) off the bench and Cade Cunningham (19 points, 8 assists), the Pistons carved through the Knicks early, constructing a 38–25 advantage by the end of the opening quarter.

However, the defending champions recalibrated their defensive intensity in the middle quarters, New York held Detroit to just 12 points in the second quarter, outscoring them 26–12 to take a narrow 51–50 halftime lead.

Towns took total control down low, scoring seven consecutive points during a decisive third-quarter stretch. The Knicks outscored Detroit 37–13 in the quarter, capped off by a Josh Hart buzzer-beating 3-pointer to build an overwhelming 88–63 cushion going into the fourth.

Brunson and the Backcourt Close it Out

Along with Towns’ monster double-double on 12-of-21 shooting, Jalen Brunson provided lethal secondary scoring, finishing with 23 points and 7 assists while converting 13 of his 16 free-throw attempts. OG Anunoby and Landry Shamet chipped in 13 points apiece to round out a balanced offensive effort that led by as many as 27 points.