The 2025 NBA Playoffs hit another level of excitement as two teams tied their first-round series at 1-1 on Monday. The Detroit Pistons ended their record playoff losing streak against the New York Knicks, and Kawhi Leonard turned back the clock to help the LA Clippers defeat the Denver Nuggets.
The Pistons grabbed a 100-94 victory over the Knicks at Madison Square Garden, breaking their NBA-record 15-game playoff losing streak. Detroit had not won a playoff game since 2008 against the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference finals.
Cade Cunningham led the Pistons with an outstanding performance of 33 points and 12 rebounds. He kept his team steady as the Knicks tried to mount another comeback similar to Game 1.
“We did what we were supposed to do. And that was it,” said Pistons coach JB Bickerstaff. “To win a game on the road to get home court was what we came here for.”
The game stayed tight all the way through. Detroit built a 15-point lead in the third quarter, but New York cut it down to just eight points going into the fourth. Knicks star Jalen Brunson scored 14 of his 37 points in the final period and helped tie the game at 94-94 with just 1:15 left to play.
That’s when Dennis Schroder stepped up for Detroit. He hit a go-ahead three-pointer with 55.7 seconds remaining that put the Pistons ahead for good. Schroder finished with 20 points off the bench.
The Knicks failed to score on their next three possessions, and Detroit sealed the win at the free throw line. The series now moves to Detroit for Game 3 on Thursday.
In Monday’s other playoff action, Kawhi Leonard scored 39 points to lead the LA Clippers to a 105-102 win over the Denver Nuggets, evening their Western Conference series at one game each.
Leonard looked fully healthy and turned in a vintage performance after dealing with injuries for much of the season. His scoring output came on efficient shooting, and he added five assists to help the Clippers bounce back after dropping Game 1.
“Finally healthy, Kawhi’s throwback effort ties series,” ESPN reported early Tuesday morning.
The Nuggets, led by Nikola Jokic’s 26 points, came up short in the final moments. Denver had a chance to tie but missed a pair of three-point attempts on the final possession.
The series now heads to Los Angeles for Games 3 and 4, with Game 3 scheduled for April 24.
Looking ahead to Tuesday’s NBA playoff action, three games are on the schedule:
- Milwaukee Bucks at Indiana Pacers (7:00 PM ET, NBA TV) – East 1st Round Game 2, Pacers lead 1-0
- Memphis Grizzlies at Oklahoma City Thunder (7:30 PM ET, TNT) – West 1st Round Game 2, Thunder lead 1-0
- Minnesota Timberwolves at Los Angeles Lakers (10:00 PM ET, TNT) – West 1st Round Game 2, Timberwolves lead 1-0
The Timberwolves are looking to take a commanding 2-0 lead after hammering the Lakers 117-95 in Game 1. The Lakers need a strong response to avoid going down 0-2 before heading to Minnesota.
Similarly, the Bucks are hoping to even their series against the Pacers, with betting lines showing Indiana as 4.5-point favorites. The Thunder are heavy favorites (-14.5) against the Grizzlies in what could be another lopsided game.
As the first round continues, teams that lost Game 1 face increased pressure to avoid 0-2 deficits. History shows that teams trailing 0-2 in a best-of-seven series face extremely difficult odds of advancing.
The 2025 NBA Playoffs will continue through early June, with the NBA Finals set to begin on June 5.
