The defending champion New York Knicks picked up their first win of the season Tuesday, beating the Detroit Pistons 111-97 after opening their title defense with three straight losses.

New York overcame a 13-point first-quarter deficit behind Karl-Anthony Towns, Jalen Brunson, and OG Anunoby. The Knicks have had a less-than-ideal start to their campaign, and fans on social media were quick to joke about how long it took them to win.

NBA Fans Troll Knicks After Defending Champions Finally Win

New York became the first defending champion to open 0-3 since the 2011-12 Dallas Mavericks. The Knicks fell to the Philadelphia 76ers (106-100), the Boston Celtics (107-103), and the Orlando Magic (111-102) before beating Detroit.

Sports enthusiast Jeremy Cohen celebrated the end of the losing streak, writing, “It’s over! It’s over! Knicks fans, this is not a dream! Your long, long wait has ended! Go ahead and cry! After 136 days, the Knicks have finally won an NBA game that counts once again!”

Legion Hoops announced the result on X, writing, “JUST IN: The Knicks have won a game. Everyone can quiet down now.”

Another fan replied, “Only took 4 tries.”

The Knicks’ previous win in a game that counted came in Game 5 of the NBA Finals against the San Antonio Spurs, when they clinched the championship with a 94-90 victory.

An Oklahoma City Thunder fan and podcaster also weighed in: “The Knicks and Spurs look like the Knicks and Spurs again.”

Another basketball account shared a GIF with the caption, “The NBA Champion Knicks remembering how to play basketball again.”

Knicks writer Tommy Beer joked about the team’s familiarity with slow starts: “Knicks down double-digits in the first quarter…. Right where they want to be – get back into the rhythm from the Finals.”

New York overcame several large deficits during its championship run, including a 29-point hole in Game 4 and a 16-point deficit in Game 5 against San Antonio. On Tuesday, Detroit led by 13 after the first quarter before the Knicks rallied.

Towns recorded a game-high 27 points and grabbed 20 rebounds. Brunson added 23 points but struggled with his shot, going 5-for-18 from the field.

Detroit had won its previous six regular-season meetings with New York entering Tuesday’s matchup. The Knicks will look to build on their performance Wednesday night against the Chicago Bulls in the second game of a back-to-back.