2025 NBA PLAYOFFS East First Round: #3 New York Knicks vs #6 Detroit Pistons (Series tied 1-1)

[WargamesX]

I think a goal was to get the team to the playoffs healthy and haven’t watched these guys for years. All of them step it up during the playoffs. Every year people swear it’s going to be a first round exit for the Knicks and the Knicks always dominate the first round.

[tmorgan]

Doubtful Pistons can score enough to win...

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This my thing. KAT being able to play away from the basket is kind of an issue for the Pistons. Neither Stewart nor Duran defend all that well in space.

I suspect the Pistons will be able to junk up a game or two being hyper physical, but it's hard to get away with doing that for an entire series.

Stewart can’t defend in space? That’s untrue.

Now Duren, that’s an issue.

[AussieCeltic]

I think it goes 7.

I’ll give the slight advantage to the Knicks just because of playoff experience.

This will be one of the better first round series though.

How many games does Beef Stew get thrown out of?

[tmorgan]

I’ll paraphrase something I wrote on the home board….

This series is firmly on KAT’s shoulders. Duren does not defend stretch bigs worth a damn, so KAT needs to shoot on Duren and try and get Stewart in foul trouble, leaving more minutes for Duren. Stewart, if he keeps himself in check, can hang with Towns all over the court. Duren cannot, and is also an inferior help defender and rim protector. Stew will get half the minutes if he needs to for our defense.

KAT is prone to dumbass offensive fouls and silly reaches on defense, especially in the playoffs. If he takes himself out of games, New York will be in real trouble.

Brunson isn’t fully healthy. He may get there with the time off, he may not. Even if he does, Ausar will try to lock him down, and if Ausar gets in trouble, we still have Holland and Cade, bigger guys to give him trouble. The NY wings need to take and hit shots.

I expect both Bridges and Harris to be non-factors. Both of these guys are “iron men” for a particular reason — they avoid physical play, contested rebounds, and contact in general. This series will be physical, and I bet they both get relegated to minor roles.

Can OG slow down Cade and play enough foul-free minutes to do so? Cade is a tough cover, his high post live dribble game is hard to defend. Detroit will need it, because transition buckets will be scarce. Someone needs to shoot well — Beasley, THJ, somebody. Might happen, might not. One good thing — Beasley has zero fear and is a tough shot taker (and sometimes maker).

Should be a good series.

[dakomish23]

I think experience matters at the end of games. Sometimes young teams giveaway games they had locked up. We saw IND do it multiple times last year.

I think Cade gets you two games by going nuclear

Knicks in 6, but I won’t be surprised at any outcome b/c Knicks have fallen apart multiple times this year in the 4th

[Froob]

NY in 7, should be a fun watch

[Jadoogar]

Knicks in 5. no playoff experience for the Pistons. For all the Knicks' problems, they have been in this situation many times.

[flow]

I think it's worth pointing out, there was no KAT or Robinson in the December 7th game.

No Robinson the January 13th game.

There was no Robinson, OG, or Hart in the April 10th game.

Pistons now are going to be going against a fully healthy Knicks squad, at least to start the series.

Going to be glorious watching you explain how bad JB is - after we knock out NY.

Cade is the best player in the East. The whole world will know now.

And you're going to give me zero credit when you witness how god awful jb is at player rotation/minute allocation, x and o basketball/ATOs, and series adjustments.

Homie, I've watched this man coach post season basketball the last 3 years in a row, it's painful.

I know what I'm talking about and i will let you hear about it, when history repeats itself, yet again.

Not really. Have fun with Mitchell again. Try not to scapegoat Atkinson.

.

[JujitsuFlip]

Going to be glorious watching you explain how bad JB is - after we knock out NY.

Cade is the best player in the East. The whole world will know now.

And you're going to give me zero credit when you witness how god awful jb is at player rotation/minute allocation, x and o basketball/ATOs, and series adjustments.

Homie, I've watched this man coach post season basketball the last 3 years in a row, it's painful.

I know what I'm talking about and i will let you hear about it, when history repeats itself, yet again.

Not really. Have fun with Mitchell again. Try not to scapegoat Atkinson.

.

I doubt any Pistons fans have watched jb coach the past 3 years in the post season, i have lol

It's not a coincidence that his offense goes in the toilet when the ref whistle tightens, there's zero back to backs, and the other team is game planning for him.

Outhuslting people and PnR offense is great for the regular season. In a 7 game series the opposition easily schemes against that.

I will be genuinely shocked if the Pistons ORTG isn't complete garbage for the 2025 playoffs.

[flow]

And you're going to give me zero credit when you witness how god awful jb is at player rotation/minute allocation, x and o basketball/ATOs, and series adjustments.

Homie, I've watched this man coach post season basketball the last 3 years in a row, it's painful.

I know what I'm talking about and i will let you hear about it, when history repeats itself, yet again.

Not really. Have fun with Mitchell again. Try not to scapegoat Atkinson.

.

I doubt any Pistons fans have watched jb coach the past 3 years in the post season, i have lol

It's not a coincidence that his offense goes in the toilet when the ref whistle tightens, there's zero back to backs, and the other team is game planning for him.

Outhuslting people and PnR offense is great for the regular season. In a 7 game series the opposition easily schemes against that.

I will be genuinely shocked if the Pistons ORTG isn't complete garbage for the 2025 playoffs.

2022 - You guys had a magical season despite suffering major injuries throughout the year. Allen opting not to have finger surgery with a month left in the season was brutal. It didn't heal, and he ended up missing the play-ins. You guys were just out-manned & out of gas at that point. Yet, you were still in both games, losing by 7 & 6.

2023 - You were a soft team beaten up by a physical knicks team. Tough matchup. And... Mitchell.

2024 - You won a playoff series before losing to the eventual champs. And... Mitchell.

[JujitsuFlip]

Not really. Have fun with Mitchell again. Try not to scapegoat Atkinson.

.

I doubt any Pistons fans have watched jb coach the past 3 years in the post season, i have lol

It's not a coincidence that his offense goes in the toilet when the ref whistle tightens, there's zero back to backs, and the other team is game planning for him.

Outhuslting people and PnR offense is great for the regular season. In a 7 game series the opposition easily schemes against that.

I will be genuinely shocked if the Pistons ORTG isn't complete garbage for the 2025 playoffs.

2022 - You guys had a magical season despite suffering major injuries throughout the year. Allen opting not to have finger surgery with a month left in the season was brutal. It didn't heal, and he ended up missing the play-ins. You guys were just out-manned & out of gas at that point. Yet, you were still in both games, losing by 7 & 6.

2023 - You were a soft team beaten up by very physical team. Tough matchup. And... Mitchell.

2024 - You won a playoff series before losing to the eventual champs. And... Mitchell.

2022 Allen played the 2nd play-in game, zero reason Cavs shoulda lost to the Hawks but ya know jb gonna jb.

2023 jb's scheme sucked and he was outcoached by Thibs, somehow. jb played a 7 man rotation which had the corpse of Danny Green trying to boxout Mitchell Robinson, brilliant piece of coaching there. D. Mitchell was very inefficient scoring due to playing through a groin injury but his genius coach did nothing to help him get easy shots. At the end of the series instead of taking any accountability jb says the players conditioning needs to get better LOL great leader there.

2024 sure the Cavs beat the Magic but zero reason it shoulda went to 7 games, the Magic were less talented and had less expierence. Mitchell was again inefficient but still put up 28.7 ppg in round 1 lol and he was hobbled, which is confirmed by him missing half of the Celtics series with a calf injury. jb made zero adjustments against the Magic, he would just fly down to Orlando and get blown out every game.

[bisme37]

Game 1: Pistons at Knicks, Saturday April 19, 6 p.m. ET (ESPN)

[whitehops]

I think this will be Cade’s coming out party to the national nba fans. 4 years of him being double/triple teamed and having every single coverage imaginable thrown at him already should prepare him for playoff basketball and the chess match it becomes.

That said, I think the pistons have a puncher’s chance to win but if they can take 2 games in this series it would be a perfect cap on an incredible season for them.

[Jadoogar]

Game 1: Pistons at Knicks, Saturday April 19, 6 p.m. ET (ESPN)

Pistons won't be the NBAtv series. Huge win for them.

[SA37]

I like the Knicks in 5.

Detroit will likely shoot well enough to steal a game, but this isn't a great matchup for the Pistons.

[Memories]

Knicks in 7 or Pistons in 6.

[guldakot]

pistons aren't used to playing in packed stadiums, Knicks in 6

Just pointing out the Pistons were number 9 in attendance right behind Boston, and Cade LOVES playing at the Garden.

That being said I expect Knicks in 6 I just want the Pistons to look like they belong in the playoffs for the first time since 2008. Already been a magical season and the kids are playing with house money.

[PhilBlackson]

I think the Knicks' win in 6 but it would be fun/funny af to watch Cade eliminate them on their home court, I can only imagine the meltdowns in NY lol.

[PlatinumState]

Its totally possible Detroit wins this series

[TravisScott55]

My prediction is Isaiah Stewart starts a fight