The New York Knicks lacked the necessary horsepower to stifle the Detroit Pistons on Monday night. Behind a dominant second half for franchise face Cade Cunningham, the Pistons denied the Knicks consecutive victories, taking a 124-119 decision at Madison Square Garden.

Cade Cunningham scored 36 points, Malik Beasley had 22 and a pair of clutch 3-pointers in the final 40 seconds and the surging Detroit Pistons beat New York 124-119, their second straight victory over the Knicks after dropping the previous 16 meetings.

Cunningham's brilliant play helped the Pistons nurse a small lead for much of the second half, but the Knicks forced the ball out of his hands on two late possessions. Both times the Pistons were able to swing it around to an open Beasley,

Brunson has already won over the skeptics with his performance since arriving in New York. And Cunningham is quickly ascending to the same sort of All-Star and All-NBA status for the rapidly improving Detroit Pistons.