End of longest losing streak in Playoffs
The Detroit Pistons will host the New York Knicks on Thursday night at Little Caesars Arena for Game 3 of the NBA Playoffs First Round. The series is now tied at 1-1 after Detroit’s crucial win at Madison Square Garden in Game 2 — a historic victory that snapped the longest losing streak (15) in NBA playoff history, an unfortunate record held by the Pistons.
Tobias Harris
For veteran forward Tobias Harris, that win is just the beginning:
“We don’t focus on the past or anything else. We’re ready for this moment. Our mindset is to give everything we’ve got to win each game. That’s our goal, and that’s where all our energy goes. The group has shown heart and resilience all year long. We want to make each other proud every single game.”
Harris, who is back in the playoffs with Detroit, acknowledged the thrill of playing at Madison Square Garden:
“Playing in the Garden is always a special experience. Coming into this playoff series, I was excited for the team. There’s no better place for a first playoff experience.”
Game 3 vs Knicks in Detroit
Now, with the series shifting to Detroit, Game 3 becomes pivotal. Harris is thrilled to return to a playoff atmosphere on home court:
“My last playoff run with the Pistons, we played in Auburn Hills. This experience will be special. We’re excited and ready to go. The fans have supported us all year, and their energy means everything.”
Detroit’s turnaround this season has been one of the most impressive in recent NBA history in terms of win improvement from one season to the next. So what changed?
“It could be a number of things, but I think it’s our team chemistry. We help each other and we want to win. We’ve done a great job. We’ve got a fantastic group — on and off the court — and we’re building something great.”
After a tough loss in Game 1, Harris said the team knew they had to respond:
“Honestly, we wanted to send a message. We were disappointed after Game 1 and wanted to be better as a team. We had a good recovery day, went over different situations to improve. Our internal message is that we can win and we proved it.”
Harris also praised the breakout performances of young star Cade Cunningham:
“Cade was amazing. He attacked played fast, made the right plays all night. I think he was really spectacular. He’s at the top of his game right now. And he embraces the challenge every single night. I’m really proud of him.”
The pressure now shifts back to the Knicks, while the Pistons look to ride their momentum at home.
Playoff matchups
Tonight’s other playoff matchups include:
- The Orlando Magic take on the Boston Celtics, with Boston leading the series 1-0.
- The Miami Heat face the Cleveland Cavaliers, who lead 1-0.
- The Golden State Warriors meet the Houston Rockets, with the Warriors up 1-0.
Thursday’s matchups:
- The Oklahoma City Thunder will try to get closer to sweeping the Memphis Grizzlies, as they currently lead 2-0.
- The Denver Nuggets play the Los Angeles Clippers, with the series tied at 1-1.
- Detroit Pistons vs New York Knicks (1-1).
- Other teams still competing include the Indiana Pacers vs Milwaukee Bucks (Friday) and Los Angeles Lakers vs Minnesota Timberwolves (Friday).
All playoffs are played in a best-of-seven format.
The first team to win four games moves on to the Conference Semifinals in the East or West.
