After the game, Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau took some heat for leaving Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart on the bench for nearly all of the final three minutes of the game. The pair subbed out with just under three minutes remaining and weren't able to return until a stoppage with 27 seconds left.

The plucky Pistons kept themselves alive for at least one more game, beating the Knicks 106-103 in yet another physical, back-and-forth battle that was close right to the final buzzer.

For the second straight season, the New York Knicks failed to close out Game 5 of a first-round playoff series — this time in a 106–103 loss to the Detroit Pistons at Madison Square Garden.

More specifically, 22-year-old guard Ausar Thompson and 21-year-old center Jalen Duren did. And their efforts were critical as the Pistons kept their season alive and sent the series back to Detroit for Game 6 on Thursday.

As precious seconds ticked away in the fourth quarter Tuesday night, New York star Jalen Brunson was waiting at the scorer's table for a whistle in the Knicks' 106-103 loss to the Detroit Pistons, who stayed alive in this Round 1 series,

The New York Knicks once again missed out on an opportunity to earn playoff advancement at Madison Square Garden.