LOS ANGELES (AFP) — New York’s Jalen Brunson scored 18 of his 20 points in the second half and the Knicks erased an 18-point fourth-quarter deficit to beat the Houston Rockets 108-106 at Madison Square Garden on Saturday.

Meanwhile the National Basketball Association’s Eastern Conference-leading Detroit Pistons romped to a fifth straight win and the San Antonio Spurs kept the pressure on West leaders Oklahoma City Thunder with an eighth straight triumph.

The Knicks’ victory was a rebound from a humbling loss to Detroit with a gutsy victory that put them back into a tie for third place in the East.

“Just found a way,” Brunson said. “Kept chipping away. Got some stops, made some shots and there it is.”

Karl-Anthony Towns scored 25 points and OG Anunoby added 20 for New York, who led by as many as 13 points in the first half but trailed 75-93 with 10:53 left to play.

Brunson’s layup — after teammate Jose Alvarado’s second steal in 20 seconds — knotted it at 103-103 with 1:26 remaining and Brunson put the Knicks up for good, 105-103, with 29 seconds left.

Kevin Durant scored a game-high 30 points for the Rockets, but 20 Houston turnovers leading to 30 Knicks points proved too much to overcome.

The Pistons shook off a sluggish start to roll to a 126-110 victory over the slumping Bulls in Chicago.

Detroit out-scored the Bulls 44-26 in the third quarter to seize control, leading by as many as 28 as they pushed their record to 42-13.

Jalen Duren led the way, returning from a two-game suspension for his role in a 9 February brawl at Charlotte to score 26 points and grab 13 rebounds.

Star guard Cade Cunningham added 18 points and 13 assists and Tobias Harris chipped in another 18 points for the Pistons, who are six games clear of the Boston Celtics atop the East with the Knicks and Cleveland Cavaliers both a further game back.

Aussie guard Josh Giddey scored 27 points to lead the Bulls, but Chicago has dropped eight in a row.

San Antonio also took advantage of a struggling opponent, beating the reeling Sacramento Kings 139-122.

Sacramento suffered a franchise record 16th straight defeat.