As Duren cut-off Brunson’s lane, Bridges created one of his own: His man, Malik Beasley, turned his head towards the paint, and Bridges darted to the top of the key. An escape hatch for Brunson, then trapped in no man’s land.

The New York Knicks traded six first-round picks, another pick swap, Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo last summer for Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges. Suffice to say, they did not deal that much for these two guys to combine for zero points in the fourth quarter of a tight playoff loss.

Considering the role they are supposed to assume and the price the New York Knicks paid for them, Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges were no-shows when it mattered most in Game 2 of their first-round series against the Detroit Pistons on Monday night at Madison Square Garden.