DETROIT — The Knicks heard all the chatter about their toughness, or lack thereof.
They came out for Game 3 determined to bully the bullies.
With just under a minute left in the first quarter of their clash against the Pistons Thursday night at Little Caesars Arena, Mitchell Robinson and Paul Reed got in a dust-up before Karl-Anthony Towns came in and shoved Reed.
A fight breaks out between Paul Reed #7 of the Detroit Pistons and Karl-Anthony Towns #32 of the New York Knicks after Towns pushes Reed off of Mitchell Robinson #23 of the New York Knicks during first quarter. Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post
Mitchell Robinson and Paul Reed exchange shoves and Karl-Anthony Towns stepped in to get Reed away from Robinson.
All 3 players were assessed technicals. pic.twitter.com/iAn2xxiePK
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A fight breaks out between Paul Reed #7 of the Detroit Pistons and Karl-Anthony Towns #32 of the New York Knicks after Towns pushes Reed off of Mitchell Robinson #23 of the New York Knicks during first quarter. Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post
Reed aggressively tried to go back at Towns, but was held back by officials.
Robinson and Reed were issued double technicals, while Towns was issued an additional technical as well.
That gave the Pistons one free throw, but Cade Cunningham subsequently missed it.
A fight breaks out between Paul Reed #7 of the Detroit Pistons and Karl-Anthony Towns #32 of the New York Knicks after Towns pushes Reed off of Mitchell Robinson #23 of the New York Knicks during first quarter. Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post
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The Knicks led 30-27 at the time and finished the first quarter up 33-27.
Earlier Thursday morning, Tobias Harris took a slight dig at the Knicks’ toughness.
Ausar Thompson of the Detroit Pistons drives to the basket against OG Anunoby of the New York Knicks during the first quarter in Game 3. Getty Images
“It’s a different dynamic, for sure,” Harris, who also played against the Knicks in the playoffs last year with the 76ers, said of how this year’s Knicks team compares to last year’s. “That’s all I’m gonna say. … It’s part of our game plan.”
In the first quarter, Jalen Brunson was given a Flagrant 1 foul for hitting Tim Hardaway Jr. in the face while the latter was taking a shot.
Cade Cunningham #2 and Tim Hardaway Jr. #8 of the Detroit Pistons react after Hardaway was hit in the face during the first quarter. Getty Images
That prompted loud “F–k you Brunson” chants throughout the raucous arena.
