The New York Knicks hosted a star-studded courtside lineup in Manhattan for their latest game. Despite playing without Karl-Anthony Towns, the team delivered an admirable performance but ultimately couldn’t maintain its winning streak. The Knicks, now 14-9, faced a disappointing 120-111 loss against the Pistons, with Cade Cunningham stealing the spotlight with a brilliant triple-double.

Adding to the night’s significance, several former Knicks players graced the sidelines. Two-time NBA champion J.R. Smith, Al Harrington, Metta World Peace, Amar’e Stoudemire, Raymond Felton, and Wilson Chandler were all seen sitting together. Smith even posted a playful clip, saying, “Yerrrr…The tape is back. You want me to rewind this motherf****r? You know what I’m saying? We’re back, baby,” as the camera panned to the other NBA legends sitting by his side.

The halftime highlight was the Knicks honoring these former stars. Each of whom had a memorable stint with the team. While Smith won his NBA titles with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Los Angeles Lakers, he built a connection with the Knicks. So, it’s safe to say that the motivation and energy were high for the Knicks.

However, the high spirits spotted on the courtside couldn’t compensate for the Knicks’ defensive lack, which ultimately cost them the game. Coming off a win against the Hornets and a three-game winning streak, the Knicks were heavily favored to extend their success—even without Towns.

But the game went quite differently.

Cade Cunningham led the Detroit Pistons to victory 

KAT was sidelined due to Patellar Tendinopathy on his right knee. After moving to the Knicks this year, he has shown impressive performance, averaging 25.2 points. He had 27 points and 16 rebounds to lead the Knicks to a win against the Hornets. KAT’s absence in this game was felt, and the team also lost Josh Hart in the fourth quarter due to a technical foul.

That eventually allowed the Detroit Pistons to take a 16-point lead. The Pistons, who were 9-15 and on a three-game losing streak, finally managed to break it. While OG Anunoby displayed some power in the third quarter, ending with 17 points, the Pistons’ strong 14-2 scoring run in the fourth quarter helped them clinch a win in the game.

Cunningham scored 21 points in the first half on 9-of-17 shooting, including 5-of-8 from deep. He ended the game with 29 points. Knicks’ Jalen Brunson scored 31 points and had 10 assists on 11-of-21 shooting, but it clearly wasn’t enough to maintain their lead.