The New York Knicks earned their first win of the 2026-27 season on Tuesday night, beating the Detroit Pistons 111-97 at Madison Square Garden. The Knicks Pistons game turned after halftime, when New York erased a first half deficit and held Detroit to 13 points in the third quarter. Karl-Anthony Towns led New York with 27 points and 20 rebounds, and Jalen Brunson added 23 points as the Knicks improved to 1-3 and handed Detroit its first loss of the season.
Detroit arrived in New York unbeaten at 3-0, while New York had lost its first three games. The Knicks Pistons matchup changed after halftime. New York outscored Detroit 60-47 across the final 24 minutes, and the home side pulled away in the fourth quarter after taking control in the third.
Knicks Pistons start slowly at home
The Knicks Pistons opening quarter belonged to Detroit, which led by 13 points at one stage in the first half. The Pistons outscored New York 38-25 in the first quarter, attacking early and putting pressure on a home team still looking for a win. Detroit scored 50 points in the first half, and center Paul Reed accounted for 16 of those points before the break. Reed finished with 22 points for Detroit, along with five offensive rebounds.
Brunson struggled from the field in the first half, scoring nine points on 1-for-9 shooting. Towns was also quiet in the opening half, and New York trailed at halftime despite playing at home. In the Knicks Pistons halftime break, head coach Mike Brown spoke to Towns, and the conversation preceded a sharper second half from the center.
Knicks Pistons surge after the break
New York also received help from its bench. Landry Shamet scored 13 points and added three assists in 28 minutes. Mikal Bridges made four three pointers in the win after a slow scoring start to the season. The Knicks Pistons box score showed a home team that defended with more urgency after halftime and limited Detroit to far fewer clean looks than in the first quarter.
The Knicks Pistons result improved New York to 1-3 and left Detroit at 3-1. New York will try to build on the win on Wednesday night, when the Knicks visit the Chicago Bulls at 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time.
Spurs rout Kings behind Wembanyama
Away from the Knicks Pistons game, the San Antonio Spurs beat the Sacramento Kings 130-103 at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio. Victor Wembanyama scored 29 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in 27 minutes, shooting 14 for 21 from the field and blocking five shots. Julian Champagnie scored 26 points off the bench and made eight three pointers, all in the first half, as San Antonio built a lead it never gave back.
San Antonio led 39-29 after the first quarter and 80-54 at halftime. Wembanyama scored 15 points in the first quarter, and Champagnie made six three pointers in the second quarter alone. Sacramento never got closer than 23 points in the third quarter, and San Antonio carried a 107-80 lead into the fourth.
San Antonio visits Utah at 9:00 p.m. Eastern Time at the Delta Center. The NBA schedule also sends the Spurs to Utah for the second half of a back to back set, after San Antonio beat Sacramento 130-103 on Tuesday night. Victor Wembanyama scored 29 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in that win, and Julian Champagnie scored 26 points off the bench. Utah hosts a Spurs team that will have travelled overnight after a home win in Texas.
Elsewhere on Tuesday, Brooklyn visited Boston in a game that went to overtime. The Knicks Pistons loss ended Detroit’s unbeaten start, while the Spurs win gave San Antonio a second straight victory before its trip to Utah.