The Pistons and Knicks get things going today in NBA Playoffs
IT FEELS GOOD TO BE BACK BABY!
The Pistons make their much-anticipated return to the postseason tonight in New York against the Knicks . It’s an exciting time to be a Pistons fan. We got the DBB crew together to preview the series and offer predictions:
1. The Detroit Pistons are BACK in the postseason for the first time since 2019. How does it feel to see this team playing meaningful, playoff basketball again?
Lazarus Jackson: Ethereal. I keep expecting to wake up and having to debate Kon Kneuppel vs Tre Johnson. I keep watching Cade’s performances in Madison Square Garden and feeling like it’s happening to someone else. After everything this team has been through over the last decade plus, watching this team grow and improve and display competence from ownership on down (Tom Gores’ eating all the Monty Williams contract and the statement after the Isaiah Stewart suspension are things that make a real impression) feels… amazing.
And yet, I’m a fan, so I can’t help but want more. More playoff games. A series win. Ascension.
Ben Gulker: Surreal and invigorating. I love this team.
Brady Fredericksen: Surreal. Before the recent revival of the Lions, it had been so long since any team I liked was good. This is different though. The Pistons have made such a crazy 180 from last season to this season. I was at the point before the year where I was done giving the franchise the benefit of the doubt (as I had the previous, I dunno, decade). They had to prove it to me that this was going in the right direction. They did that, and more. Now I’m excited to see them in a series that they have a real chance to win.
Wes Davenport: AMAZING!
David Fernandez: This year has been, by far, the most exciting Pistons season since the Goin’ to Work era. Unlike 2019, when Detroit (and Blake Griffin) literally limped into the playoffs to then be unceremoniously decapitated by the Milwaukee Bucks , this team actually has a future, and these games actually have meaning. I am, for lack of a better term, STOKED!
Robbie Bettelon: It feels different than it does in 2019. It felt like the Blake Griffin team had hit its peak, but this year’s team feels like they’re just getting started. I can’t wait for Cade to show out on the big stage for the first time in his career.
Max Sturm: It feels almost hard to believe after all these years. This is distinctly different from the team’s last two playoff appearances in 2016 and 2019, when it seemed like the team had reached its absolute ceiling by just sneaking in. This time around, it feels like it could be the first of many trips to the postseason, and an opportunity to host a playoff series down the road seems well within reach. This has been a long time coming, and there has not been this much optimism around the franchise since the 2000’s. This is the fun part. At some point, this team will be graded and dissected through a different lens, with heightened expectations. Fans should absolutely savor this moment in time.
2. What do you think is the Pistons’ greatest strength going into the series and what is the area they need to improve on to compete with the Knicks?
Lazarus Jackson: The Pistons’ greatest strength going into this series is the fact that they have the best player in the series. Cade Cunningham has been a revelation this year, shredding the Knicks’ perimeter defenders on four separate occasions this season. With Karl Anthony-Towns’ anemic rim protection and Mikal Bridges leaving his defense capabilities in Phoenix, Cade Hero Mode is how the Pistons stay in and perhaps win this series.
Where they need to improve is fouling. A young team cannot afford to get frustrated with the refereeing and lose composure, they cannot afford to let the Knicks live at the free throw line, and they cannot afford to play indecisively on defense. In order to win this series – which I believe they can – they will need to restrain the Knicks’ offense, get rebounds, and get out in transition. I subscribe to the 2-1-1 Theory: In a playoff series, you need your best player to win you two games, your second best player to win you a game, and a role player breakout to win you another. Jalen Brunson is gonna score (if he’s 90% healthy and not 70% healthy). KAT is going to score. Can you limit the damage OG Anunoby and Josh Hart do on the perimeter? Can you encourage passivity from Mikal Bridges? Can the Pistons turn the Knicks’ name-brand role guys into JAGs for a game or two? The way to do that is being physical defensively without fouling excessively.
Ben Gulker: The young guys have been through a tremendous amount of adversity and maturation for such a young team, more so than most first-time playoff teams. While lack of experience in the playoffs is generally a negative, this team has showed maturity beyond its years all season. Their ability to fight back and compete in any situation will serve them well. That said, things get tougher in the playoffs – especially against veteran teams who defend. Although the Knicks aren’t a defensive juggernaut, they will certainly have their game plan dialed in, and the Pistons will need to be adaptable and creative offensively to avoid going stagnant when things get tough.
Brady Fredericksen: The physicality and defense the Pistons bring to the table every night will be the key. Sure, Cade has owned the Knicks this season, but if the Pistons can get stops and get out and run, that will unlock everything for them. Secondary shot creation is the biggest area of improvement. Cade will face a variety of double-teams in this series, so it’s going to require guys like Dennis Schroder, Ausar Thompson and Jalen Duren to create offense for others when things get crowded for Cade. Ausar is the X factor on both ends — guarding Jalen Brunson and being a creator when he gets the chance offensively.
Wes Davenport: I think they have the best player on the floor. They may not have the second, third, fourth, fifth, or sixth best player, but the have THE best player. Cade Cunningham is that dude and he’s toasted the Knicks all year long, those New York defenders are in for a long series. However, that the Pistons don’t have a second banana really hurts them here. The Knicks are a very talented team with a great starting five, the Pistons just don’t have the horses to match that. On a deeper level, I think the Knicks are a better defensive team than they’ve showed this year. They have the talent to do so but it hasn’t come to fruition yet. The playoffs seem like the time they’ll get that in gear (more lenient whistle, slower pace plays to their style, Pistons don’t have a guy who can punish them much outside of Cade). Despite all of this, I think Isaiah Stewart is a bit of an x-factor here. He can space the floor, he can guard KAT and switch to wings/guards as needed, and he’s the best rim defender in the NBA. Don’t be surprised if he not only plays well, but sees his minutes increase significantly. He and Ausar are a nightmare pair in the playoffs.
David Fernandez: The Pistons biggest strength is their brightest star in Cade Cunningham. He has the potential to be the best player in this series, which is saying a lot given Brunson’s playoff success, but Cade is able to affect the game on both sides of the floor, and he’s been spectacular against this Knicks team so far this season. This will be his coming out party, even if Detroit isn’t ultimately victorious.
Also, another strength for Detroit is how physical they play. Karl Anthony Towns would prefer to not play as physical as the Pistons’ bigs force him to play, you’ll see him flailing for contact and calls, and generally play a brand of basketball that he’d rather avoid if he had his druthers. Tired legs don’t like to run with young, physical and athletic teams and this Knicks team has a lot of miles under them from this past season. Detroit has fresher legs, they’re playing with house money, and they have the ability to clog up the smooth flowing offense that the Knicks want to deploy.
Robbie Bettelon: Detroit’s roster versatility is a big advantage. Thibs obviously plays his starters a ton and he doesn’t have a deep bench, but I think JB Bickerstaff has some tools on his bench to throw different defensive looks at the Knicks. My biggest worry is how they decide to guard KAT, and I hope JBB gets creative if KAT gets hot from deep.
Max Sturm: Beyond smart acquisitions and internal development, the biggest drivers of the Pistons resurgence are pace and defense, where they currently rank 9th and 14th respectively. These two things go hand in hand, as Detroit’s improvement in getting stops and forcing turnovers has allowed the team to get out in transition more frequently, where their athletes and passing have been on full display. Both of these areas have given the Knicks trouble this season, as the Knicks are 26th in pace, and have struggled all year against physical defenses. If Detroit can get stops, and parlay that into frequent transition opportunities, they will have a good chance to do some damage and win. And oh, by the way, they have the best player in the series who has already torched them at Madison Square Garden twice this season.
As far as weaknesses, Detroit’s secondary scoring will likely be the biggest swing factor. Undoubtedly, the Knicks will ramp up their defensive effort to make life hard for Cade Cunningham. They will likely mix up their coverages, both trying to confuse him, and get the ball out of his hands. I’d be willing to bet that there will come a time in this series where someone not named Cade will need to carry a heavy scoring load in order to win them a game. Who can and will step up? Will Malik Beasley continue his otherworldly output from 3? Can Tobias Harris be a reliable secondary option for the duration of a 7 game series? Also, if the team were to get Jaden Ivey back at some point during this series, his fit with the current rotation and ability to be a secondary scorer and playmaker would be a fascinating subplot to monitor.
Furthermore, can two key contributors to the defensive improvement, Ausar Thompson and Ron Holland stay on the floor? With each shooting below thirty percent from distance, you can expect the Knicks to come up with schemes to try and force each player to be faced with a heavy dose of open threes. If each player can overcome this and stay on the floor, it will be a huge boost to the aforementioned defense and transition offense.
3. Put your money where your mouth is: How long does this series go and who wins?
Lazarus Jackson: Pistons in 6. I think the Pistons will win this series. I have put my money where my mouth is (+340 is a joke, it’s a closer series than that). But the Pistons have to win one of the first two games in MSG, because they need to win in 6 (or fewer!) games, because you do not want to play Game Seven on the road, regardless of opponent quality. I look forward to being there as the Knicks trudge off the court, bewildered, and LCA goes bonkers for the first playoff series win in almost 20 years.
Ben Gulker: My heart says the Pistons can take this to 7 games and shake up the entire playoff picture. My head says 4-2 New York. But my head has been wrong about this team as much as it’s been right! New York is clearly the better team top to bottom and should take this series, but I won’t be shocked if these Pistons prove me wrong again.
Brady Fredericksen: Knicks in 7.
Wes Davenport: Knicks in 6. Pistons give the Knicks a good fight but come up short. KAT finds his jump shot, OG creates some playoff heroics to put the Pistons down. As a bonus, I think that IF the Knicks win, then KAT, not Brunson, led the charge. IF the Pistons win, Cade Cunningham finds a surprise hero — Ron Holland. These are my predictions. Each will certainly be wrong!
David Fernandez: Don’t care if I’m being a homer. Pistons in 6.
Robbie Bettelon: Pistons in 7.
Max Sturm: Knicks in 7. I think the Pistons have a real shot. This is a good matchup for the team, and the Knicks have a very suspect record against teams with winning records. Detroit has the best player in the series, but the Knicks likely have the second, third, and fourth best player, giving them more options in crunch time. The Knicks have more playoff experience, and home court advantage on their side. Ultimately, I think those swing the series in the Knicks favor. I see them winning a close game 7 at Madison Square Garden to advance.
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As always, let us know your thoughts in the comments!
1. The Detroit Pistons are BACK in the postseason for the first time since 2019. How does it feel to see this team playing meaningful, playoff basketball again?
2. What do you think is the Pistons’ greatest strength going into the series and what is the area they need to improve on to compete with the Knicks?
3. Put your money where your mouth is: How long does this series go and who wins?