I’d like to welcome you to a Detroit Pistons playoff game thread
The NBA playoffs have officially begun. So far today, Giannis Antetounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks were run off the floor against the Indiana Pacers. Giannis will need to ask and answer some difficult questions about his future if his Bucks get bounced in the first round. Currently, Nikola Jokic is attempting to avoid that same fate as he looks to power his Denver Nuggets past a crafty and defensively astute Los Angeles Clippers team. It is a one-possession game at the dawn of the fourth quarter.
But what we really care about is the 6 p.m. matchup that will see the Detroit Pistons face off against the New York Knicks in Madison Square Garden. It’s a chance for Cade Cunningham to take his next step on his path toward superstardom. But he will need some help. He’ll need defensive help from Jalen Duren, Ausar Thompson, and Ron Holland. And he’ll need offensive help from Malik Beasley, Tobias Harris, and Dennis Schröder.
Cunningham is the best player on the floor, but the Knicks might have players 2-6 in the matchup. That means Cade has to continue his mastery, not shrink under the bright lights of the playoffs, and his teammates need to find ways to be effective when things get tight. I’m pumped. I love this team, and I can’t wait to see what they have in store for us in the postseason.
Game Vitals
When: 6 p.m. ET
Where: Madison Square Garden, New York, New York
Watch: ESPN
Odds: Pistons +7
Projected Starters
Detroit Pistons (0-0)
Cade Cunningham, Tim Hardaway Jr., Ausar Thompson, Tobias Harris, Jalen Duren
New York Knicks (0-0)
Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges, Josh Hart, OG Anunoby, Karl-Anthony Towns