Karl-Anthony Towns scored 31 points, Jalen Brunson had 30 and the New York Knicks held on for a 118-116 win over the Pistons on Thursday night in Detroit to take a 2-1 lead in the first-round series.

OG Anunoby added 22 points for New York. Game 4 is on Sunday in Detroit.

The Pistons have lost eight straight home playoff games since 2008, pulling within one of an NBA record set by Philadelphia from 1968 to 1971.

When Detroit won at New York in Game 2, the franchise ended a league-record, 15-playoff game losing streak to take home-court advantage, but the Knicks snatched it back.

Brunson, who won the NBA’s Clutch Player of the Year award on Wednesday, made consecutive layups late in the game to give the Knicks a seven-point lead.

Tim Hardaway Jr. connected on a 3-pointer with 5.8 seconds left to pull the Pistons within three.

Brunson made one of two free throws with 3.5 seconds left for a four-point lead after Detroit’s coaches, players and fans were screaming for an over-and-back violation to be called. The All-Star guard made another free throw with 0.5 seconds left and missed the second intentionally.

Detroit didn’t get a final shot off because Jalen Duren’s pass from in front of his team’s bench went out of bounds on the other side of the court.

Towns was aggressive offensively from the start, scoring 11 points in the first quarter. The 7-foot center made 4-of-8 3-pointers after combining to shoot 1 of 5 beyond the arc over the first two games.

Detroit’s Cade Cunningham scored 24 points and had 11 assists, but missed 15 of 25 shots and had six turnovers.

Hardaway had 24 points, making a career playoff-high seven 3-pointers. Dennis Schroder scored 18 points and Duren had 16 for the Pistons.

Gilbert Arenas’ son in induced coma after automobile crash: Alijah Arenas — a five-star recruit committed to USC next season, and the son of former NBA star Gilbert Arenas — was put into an induced coma as he recovers from an automobile accident early Thursday morning.

Arenas is in stable condition and did not suffer any broken bones, reported Shams Charania of ESPN, who broke the story. The vehicle was “ablaze” when the fire department arrived on the scene, TMZ reported.

USC men’s basketball coach Eric Musselman said in a statement on X: “Our thoughts and prayers are with Alijah and his family following this morning’s accident. Please keep him, his teammates and friends, and the entire Arenas family in your prayers.”

Arenas is the No. 10-ranked recruit in the class of 2025 by 24/7 Sports, and with that projects as a potential future first-round pick in a future NBA draft. He is a 6-foot-6 wing with a 7-foot wingspan. He played his high school ball at Chatsworth High School.

Celtics’ Tatum doubtful: Jayson Tatum remains listed as doubtful for the Boston Celtics, meaning the reigning NBA champions do not expect him to play today when they visit the Orlando Magic in Game 3 of an Eastern Conference first-round series.

Tatum is dealing with a bone bruise in his right wrist, an injury suffered on a hard fall after getting fouled in Game 1 of the series. Tatum did not play in Game 2, when the Celtics prevailed for a 2-0 series lead.

Kidd invests in Everton: NBA great Jason Kidd has entered the soccer world by joining the ownership group of English Premier League club Everton.

The Hall of Fame point guard and current Dallas Mavericks coach said he was “honored” to join Roundhouse Capital Holdings, which is part of the Friedkin Group that took control of Everton last year. The group also owns Italian team Roma.