Knicks coach says Jalen Brunson “grabbed his cape” en route to tying franchise legend's record in huge win over Detroit

New York Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau commended Jalen Brunson for his performance against the Detroit Pistons in Game 1 of their first-round series on Saturday. Using a 21-0 run in the fourth quarter, the third-seeded Knicks dominated the sixth-seeded Pistons.

Brunson scored 34 points, marking his 12th career playoff game with 30 or more points as a Knick. With the performance, he tied Willis Reed for the second-most 30-point playoff games in franchise history.

When asked about Brunson’s sudden shift in intensity on the court, Thibodeau had the perfect response.

"I think he grabbed his cape," Thibodeau said.

The Pistons led by as many as nine points, but Brunson’s heroics helped the Knicks take a 1-0 series lead.

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Knicks vs Pistons recap: Jalen Brunson goes hero mode

The 2025 NBA Playoffs have officially commenced. The New York Knicks took on the Detroit Pistons on Saturday night, securing a 123–112 victory in Game 1. Brunson was one of the primary reasons for New York’s success.

Brunson tallied 34 points and eight assists in a standout performance. Helping shoulder the offensive load were Karl-Anthony Towns and OG Anunoby.

Towns delivered a double-double with 23 points, 11 rebounds, five assists, four steals and two blocks. Anunoby also made a significant impact, adding 23 points, seven rebounds, five steals and two blocks.

The Knicks defense did well in limiting Cade Cunningham to just 21 points on 8-for-21 shooting. The All-Star averaged 30.8 points against New York during the regular season. Tobias Harris led the Pistons in scoring with 25 points, while Malik Beasley and Tim Hardaway Jr. added 20 and 19 markers, respectively.

New York's defense was a huge problem for the Pistons tonight, forcing 19 turnovers (Cunningham had six). If Detroit can’t find a way to overcome that pressure, the series could slip away quickly.