Pistons, Cade Cunningham continue dominance over Knicks

The arena was different, but the outcome was all too familiar.

The Knicks were once again outscored by the NBA’s top-ranked Pistons in Thursday night’s 126-111 loss at Madison Square Garden, as Detroit completed a lopsided sweep of the regular-season series between the championship hopefuls.

Facing the Pistons at home for the first time this season, the Knicks had no answer against Detroit superstar Cade Cunningham, who dominated with 42 points, eight rebounds and 13 assists.

Cunningham scored double-digit points in each of the first three quarters, strengthening his case for NBA MVP.

But Thursday’s loss wasn’t all about Cunningham’s excellence.

The Knicks (35-21) failed to take advantage of an undermanned Pistons team (41-13) that was missing its two main centers — All-Star Jalen Duren and rim protector Isaiah Stewart — due to suspensions stemming from last week’s contest in Charlotte.

Detroit still outscored the Knicks in the paint, 58-56, and outrebounded them, 44-38. Karl-Anthony Towns managed just two points on 1-of-3 shooting in the first half before going under in the third quarter.

Jalen Brunson led the Knicks with 33 points, six rebounds and seven assists, but it wasn’t enough on a night when the Knicks shot just 8 of 35 (23%) from 3-point range.

The Knicks beat the Pistons in six games in the first round of last year’s playoffs, but Detroit — then a young, physical team ahead of schedule in its rebuild — held on. Three of the Knicks’ wins in this series have come by three points or less.

Detroit has taken another big step forward this year, now sitting seven games ahead of the Knicks in the Eastern Conference standings.

“Experience matters,” Pistons head coach JB Bickerstaff said before Thursday’s game. “Failing in the playoffs matters. Look at all the great teams, the teams that found a way to sustain success, it never happened overnight for them. … It was a big learning lesson for our guys.”

Everything the Pistons learned in the last few playoffs has certainly paid off.

The Pistons pulverized the Knicks in the teams’ first two meetings of the season, beating them by 31 and 38 points, both times in Detroit.

On Thursday, the Knicks had a chance to make a statement as the regular season series moved to the Garden for the first and only time.

“We want to win every game,” Knicks head coach Mike Brown said during his pregame press conference. “And they’re in front of us. And some people say, ‘You lost to them twice, it’s an important game.’ If we beat Detroit and lose the next night, it’s over. So for us it’s extremely important because it’s the next game.

The Knicks got off to a hot start Thursday, as Brunson scored a 3-pointer over Ausar Thompson on the opening possession.

But Cunningham took over soon after, scoring 11 points during an 18-6 run as Detroit took the lead. Cunningham finished with 14 points in the first quarter and had 24 by halftime, during which Detroit led 58-48.

It was the opposite for Towns, whose first basket was a step-back dunk with 2:05 left in the second quarter – despite the Pistons’ absences at center.

Relying on third-string center Paul Reed and Tolu Smith — a two-way player making his eighth NBA appearance — the Pistons scored 28 points in the paint in the first half, compared to 30 for the Knicks.

And the Knicks made just 1 of 16 shots on 3-point attempts in the first half, missing 15 in a row after Brunson’s game-opening basket.

Towns got going in the third quarter, scoring eight quick points, including a four-point play that ended the Knicks’ drought from beyond the arc. Towns then scored 12 points in the third, but it wasn’t enough for the Knicks to gain momentum.

Detroit led by 19 points in the fourth quarter. A final push by the Knicks cut the deficit to 12, until Cunningham made a 3-pointer with less than five minutes remaining, putting Detroit ahead, 112-97.

A handful of boos rained down at the final buzzer.

The Knicks are now tied with the Cleveland Cavaliers for third place in the East.

Regular season games don’t necessarily serve as a predictor for the playoffs. Last season, the Knicks went 1-3 against the Pistons and 0-4 against the Boston Celtics before beating both in the playoffs.

But now, after going 0-3 against the Pistons this regular season, the Knicks will have to wait until the playoffs to have another chance to defeat Detroit.