The Detroit Pistons have defeated the New York Knicks in four out of six games during this NBA season, which includes three wins in the regular season and one playoff victory. This success gives Pistons fans hope that their team could win its first playoff series since the 2007-08 season, a time when players like Chauncey Billups and Rasheed Wallace were on the roster.
The current Detroit Pistons team is focused on developing young players, with a few veterans providing support. Some of these veterans are working hard to secure their positions in the NBA. For example, Dennis Schröder has played for four different teams this season—the Nets, the Warriors, the Jazz, and the Pistons—and he will be a free agent after this season. Then there’s Tim Hardaway Jr., who often went overlooked during his time with the Mavericks, frequently spending significant time on the bench. When we combine players like these with other veterans, such as Malik Beasley and Tobias Harris, along with young talents like Cade Cunningham and Jalen Duren, we create a roster that has the potential to pull off an upset in the first-round series between the Knicks and the Pistons.
Unfortunately, I don’t see that happening. The New York Knicks are the favorites because they are the better team. However, the Knicks tend to fall behind before they seem ready to play. In Game One, the Pistons led for the entire game until the six-minute mark, when the Knicks came alive and went on a 21-0 run in the fourth quarter, ultimately winning by 11 points. In Game Two, the Knicks found themselves down by as much as 15 points, only to rally back and tie the game at 94-94 with one minute left. Schoder hit a three-pointer to give his team a three-point lead, and the Knicks ultimately lost by six points, with a final score of 100-94.
Now, with the next two games in Detroit, do I think the Knicks will win at least one of them? Absolutely. The Knicks are in win-now mode. They gave up five draft picks for Mikal Bridges and currently have the fourth-highest payroll in the NBA behind the Suns. Timberwolves and Celtics. Heads will roll in New York if this team can’t get past the Pistons. Not only would there be firings, but there will be trades. The players are aware of this, and head coach Tom Thibodeau is also aware of it. The fan base would lose their minds, and it would be mandatory that someone take the fall. To prevent all this, all the Knicks have to do is put forty-eight minutes together. I’m quite sure they know this, which is why I’m predicting the Knicks will steal a game (or two) in Detroit, win the series, then head to Cleveland to face the Cavaliers.
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