It’s closing time for the New York Knicks.
Holding a 3-1 lead, the Knicks host the Detroit Pistons at Madison Square Garden for Game 5 of the Eastern Conference first-round series Tuesday. A win clinches the series for New York and moves it on to face the winner of the Boston Celtics and Orlando Magic in the conference semifinals.
The Knicks have a 10-1 series record when holding a 3-1 series advantage, with their only loss coming in 1997 against the Miami Heat. On the other end, the Pistons have a 1-5 series record when down 3-1, their lone win coming in the 2003 first round against the Magic.
The series returns to Madison Square Garden after the Knicks won both games in Detroit, albeit with controversy.
Down by one point in Game 4, Pistons guard Tim Hardaway Jr. missed a 3-pointer from the corner, but received contact from Knicks guard Josh Hart. Officials didn’t call a foul, and after the game crew chief David Guthrie told pool reporters that officials should have called a foul on Hart. In the prior game, both teams seemed miffed by a pair of plays in the final seconds that either were or weren’t whistled.
Follow along for live updates from Game 5 between Pistons-Knicks.
