The lasting image of Tuesday night was of Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart, the Knicks’ two clutch holdovers from recent postseason runs, waiting at the scorer’s table for a whistle that never came while a stunned Garden crowd watched in stunned silence. 

Their absence, along with another shoddy playoff performance on their home court, doomed the Knicks. They blew a chance to end this best-of-seven, opening-round series in front of their fans.

Instead of getting extra rest ahead of the Eastern Conference semifinals against the defending-champion Celtics, Tom Thibodeau’s team gave the young, hungry and gritty Pistons new life after this 106-103 setback. 

Brunson and Hart suffered minor injuries and came out of the game with 2:57 to go and the Knicks trailing by two.

Jalen Brunson looks up to the rafters during the second half of the Knicks’ Game 5 loss to the Pistons on April 29, 2025. JASON SZENES/ NY POST

Hart briefly went back to the locker room, while Brunson stayed on the bench.

Less than a minute of game action later, they were ready to return, but Thibodeau opted against using his final timeout. 

“Coach’s decision,” he said. 

The coach later added: “A lot goes into it.” 

In the meantime, the Pistons pushed their lead from a precarious two to a comfortable six before Thibodeau finally called timeout with 27.4 seconds to go.

Josh Hart on the court in pain late in the fourth quarter of the Knicks’ Game 5 loss to the Pistons. Jason Szenes / New York Post

The Knicks had three empty possessions without Brunson, their superstar closer, as Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns each missed contested jumpers. 

“It’s different,” Bridges said of Brunson’s late-game absence. “You know he’s going to have that ball. It doesn’t mean we can’t step up. I should’ve made shots and held it down for him as much as he holds it down for us.” 

Just like last year, the Knicks failed to finish out the opening round at home. The last time they closed out a playoff series at home was the 1999 Eastern Conference finals.

The good news is that both Hart and Brunson insisted they were physically OK, just beaten up. 

Cade Cunningham and Josh Hart chase a loose ball in the second half of the Knicks’ Game 5 loss to the Pistons. JASON SZENES/ NY POST

“I’m all good,” said Brunson, who is dealing with a nagging right ankle injury that has forced him to come out four different games in this series. 

Hart described his condition as, “my whole body’s bothering me,” but specifically his wrist and back. 

It was a frustrating evening. Brunson and Towns, the heroes of the Game 4 win in Motown, combined to shoot 9-of-30 from the field.

The Knicks committed 13 turnovers and couldn’t contain Cade Cunningham when it mattered, the young star guard going for 24 points, eight assists and eight rebounds.

New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson is greeted by New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson after he puts up a shot in the second half. JASON SZENES/ NY POST

Ausar Thompson, Detroit’s non-shooting defensive specialist, added a career-high-tying 22 points on mostly dunks and layups. 

The best Knick was Mitchell Robinson (13 points, 11 rebounds, two blocks and two steals).

OG Anunoby had a team-high 19 points while Bridges and Towns each had 17. 

“We haven’t put ourselves in position to get a commanding win,” Towns said. “We’ve been very gritty this whole series and physical and it’s allowed us to find a way a lot of times to win. I think what was the point differential in Detroit, like three points? You only can do it so many times before it comes back to bite you.” 

Jalen Brunson waits to come into the game with less than two minutes left in the second half of Game 5 of the first round of the NBA Playoffs at Madison Square Garden in New York. JASON SZENES/ NY POST

The Knicks continued a series-long pattern by starting the third quarter poorly, digging themselves a 10-point hole.

They woke up late in the period, reeling off nine straight points.

Mitchell Robinson puts up a shot in the second half of the Knicks’ Game 5 loss to the Pistons. JASON SZENES/ NY POST

Robinson keyed the spurt with his rim protection and activity on the glass, and the Knicks went ahead on a Bridges transition 3-pointer early in the fourth quarter.

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It was their first lead since the opening minutes of the second half. 

It didn’t last. 

New York Knicks guard Josh Hart and Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham jump for the ball in the second half. JASON SZENES/ NY POST

Brunson and Hart had to leave the game.

Thibodeau waited to use his final timeout.

And the Pistons, who have won at the Garden four times in five tries this season, left New York City believing this is a series up for grabs. 

New York Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau speaks with his team at the bench with minutes left in the second half. JASON SZENES/ NY POST

New York Knicks forward OG Anunoby reacts after he fouls Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham in the second half. JASON SZENES/ NY POST

“We’ll be back,” Cunningham predicted of a potential Game 7.