DETROIT >> Emotions have been high for both the Detroit Pistons and New York Knicks over the past 10 days.

Those emotions of each team reached different extremes Sunday afternoon at Little Caesars Arena. The Knicks celebrated Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns’ fourth-quarter heroics, while the Pistons watched in misery as Detroit sustained a heartbreaking 94-93 Game 4 loss.

The most emotional moment came as time expired late in the fourth quarter when officials did not call a foul in favor of Tim Hardaway Jr., whom Josh Hart hit during his 3-point field goal attempt. The non-call has played a significant role in the Pistons returning to New York down 3-1.

While the officials acknowledged their mistake, it is not the lone reason why the Pistons are on the brink of elimination entering Tuesday’s Game 5 contest at Madison Square Garden.

“We have to get ready for the next game, ready to play, bring it back here (Detroit),” Malik Beasley said. “That’s all we can do. That’s the message.”

Here are four observations from the Pistons’ best-of-seven series:

Fourth-quarter blues

While officiating and a handful of questionable rulings have hurt the Pistons, their lack of execution in the fourth quarter has arguably been their most significant detriment.

In Game 1, Detroit came into the final period holding an eight-point lead. However, the Pistons allowed the Knicks to go on a 21-0 run en route to a 123-112 loss. Eight days later in Game 4, the Pistons had an 11-point lead before squandering it amid another fourth-quarter collapse, during which the Knicks outscored Detroit, 30-22.

“There are situations where we didn’t close out strong enough, where we helped a little bit too much in positions where we didn’t have to,” Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. “There’s great offensive players making offensive plays down the stretch.”

In each of the Knicks’ fourth-quarter comebacks, the Pistons have allowed New York to score an average of 35.0 points, shooting 63.9% from the field and 66.7% from 3-point range. Brunson has spearheaded the Knicks’ comeback efforts, averaging 13.5 points in the two periods.

The Pistons’ 100-94 Game 2 victory was the only time Detroit withstood the Knicks’ fourth-quarter comeback attempt. However, they nearly gave up a 13-point lead, which allowed the Knicks to tie the game late in the fourth before Dennis Schröder made a crucial 3-point field goal to hold off the rally.

“Everybody wants to win,” guard Cade Cunningham said. “Everybody is competing, making the extra plays. Whoever is down, (each team) is going all out to try and get back in it to win. I believe it’s because the competitive level is up and no one is going to lay down.”

Beasley’s shooting struggles

Beasley finished the regular season second in the league for most made 3-pointers with 319. He also averaged 16.3 points on 41.6% shooting from behind the arc while finishing second in Sixth Man of the Year voting.

Beasley played a crucial role in the Pistons’ regular-season success. Now, he has played an essential role in Detroit trailing New York 3-1. Beasley’s numbers have dipped this postseason, with averages of 13.5 points on 30.8% 3-point shooting.

“I think he’s getting his looks, they just haven’t fallen for him,” Bickerstaff said. “We’re confident in the shots that he’s taking. We know that he’s capable of making those shots.”

The Pistons needed Beasley to maintain his production to have a chance against New York, primarily because the Knicks entered the series with a plan to neutralize Cunningham through blitzes and double teams. If Beasley showed glimpses of the player who obliterated the franchise record for most made 3-pointers, New York would have had to divert some of their defensive focus away from Detroit’s All-Star guard.

“It’s just one of those things he’s going through a little bit where they’re just not falling for him as consistently,” Bickerstaff continued. “We know he’s capable. He’s proven that all year long.”

In Game 1, Beasley shot 4-of-6 on 3-point shooting for 12 points in the first half. He has since shot 8-of-33 from behind the arc while averaging 10.5 points.

Injuries

The average margin of victory through the first four games of the series is five points. If not for a few missed opportunities, the Pistons could have been up 3-1 as they return to New York. However, the absence of Isaiah Stewart has been huge.

After inflammation in his knee forced him to exit Game 1 prematurely, Stewart has missed the last three games. The Pistons have done a solid job staying afloat without him, especially in terms of Paul Reed’s production.

However, Stewart’s defense, hustle and energy could have been enough to shift the series in Detroit’s favor.

In addition to Stewart, Detroit’s 3-1 deficit also is an indication of how much the team has missed Jaden Ivey. Although the Pistons won 29 games without him in the regular season, they are in desperate need of his on-court talents for the playoffs. Detroit would have gained another dynamic scorer to rely on while Cunningham faced continuous double teams.

Entering an elimination game, Stewart’s status remains uncertain, while Bickerstaff’s latest statement on Ivey proves that the season is likely over for the third-year guard.

“He (Ivey) is doing more and more, but our aim will be to protect our guys,” Bickerstaff said Sunday. “This would be a very difficult situation for a guy to come back into after dealing with the injury.

“But again, you never know. The more he progresses, we will take a look at it. But again, this would be really difficult to put him in that situation.”

Turnover woes

When the Pistons began to turn their sub-.500 season around, it came after they improved their issues with turnovers. However, because of the physical nature of the series, the Pistons’ turnover problems have returned.

Through the first four games of the series, Detroit has committed an average of 17.5 giveaways, the second-highest in the league this postseason. They committed 19 turnovers in Game 4.

“We have to do better with our spacing,” Bickerstaff said.

“If you look at a lot of our turnovers, it came from playing in small spaces. They (the Knicks) are long, athletic and physical.

“So, if you are going to play in small spaces, they get a ton of deflections.”

Despite an impressive start to his playoff career, Cunningham has been at the forefront of the Pistons’ turnover woes.

He is currently leading the league in giveaways with an average of 6.0. He committed a postseason high of seven in Game 4.