First Round Matchup Set: Knicks vs Pistons

[LFGK]

Anyone who says Cade, CURRENTLY, is better than Brunson needs a lobotomy. You've been anti-Knicks pilled too far lol.

ppl gotta get their domes checked, 2 years ago it was Mitchell being better last year it was Joel and Maxey, This season its Cade and if Ivey was playing him. Next season it'll be Banchero,Young or whoever we play round 1. When Brunson cooks Detroit people will change their tune

[LFGK]

Agreed. One worry though is if the refs are anointing Cade as the new American superstar as someone posted last Detroit game. If he's allowed to push off with free arm like Tatum, as it seemed last game, and they call quick fouls on OG, then it's trouble.

Don't think it happen, OG is known as a physical defender and wont get a quick whistle. Playoff time a bit more physicality is allowed. I truly believe OG will bottle him up and frustrate him, but what do I know?

Our backline defensive rotations have to be absolutely perfect so OG can get back to Cade when the Pistons use off ball screens to force a switch to get Brunson onto Cade.

I'm less worried about this in the playoffs simply because the team has actual time to practice this now.

agreed, people actually think we have seen the best of the Knicks defensively. They will see a different version, a better version of the one since Robinsons return. Won't tell everyone I told you so when Brunson roasts them and the Knick D looks very different.

[GONYK]

Anyone who says Cade, CURRENTLY, is better than Brunson needs a lobotomy. You've been anti-Knicks pilled too far lol.

ppl gotta get their domes checked, 2 years ago it was Mitchell being better last year it was Joel and Maxey, This season its Cade and if Ivey was playing him. Next season it'll be Banchero,Young or whoever we play round 1. When Brunson cooks Detroit people will change their tune

National media told me last season Banchero was better than Brunson

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[HopelessKnick]

Brunson will destroy the Pistons. Fasten your seatbelt, 40 point masterpieces incoming. I like the disrespect, nothing like a superstar with a ship on his shoulder.

[Knicksfan1992]

Anyone who says Cade, CURRENTLY, is better than Brunson needs a lobotomy. You've been anti-Knicks pilled too far lol.

Put Jalen on the Pistons and he’d average 35.

IDK about all that but they would have probably been a 50 win team with Jalen like us.

I think people still somehow underestimate how good offensively Brunson is.

So according to BBall Ref Brunson was 20th in the league in Usage. Of those 20 players only Jokic, Curry, Lebron, Giannis and SGA had a higher true shooting percentage than JB. All either all-time greats or MVP candidates lol. Cade is one of the least efficient guys on the list only ahead of Ja, Paolo, Franz, Lamelo, and Maxey.

Of those 20 players JB ranks 10th in Ast%, 6th in TOV%, 6th in Win Shares per 48 and 7th in OBPM.

Cade is 4th in AST% but, is 19th in TOV%, 15th in win shares per 48, 13th in OBPM.

Jalen is just on another level than Cade offensively with similar usage even if the raw numbers may look to somewhat favor Cade. And even that all doesn't factor in that Jalen is much more of an off-ball threat because he's o0ne of the best catch and shoot guys in the league, he draws way more fouls and his pull up numbers are light years ahead of Cade's. All stuff that translates to good playoff performances.

I get the excitement for Cade. I was a big fan and fought with Chanel about him a few times on here . And his defense definitely gives him more of a two way impact than JB but crossing that echelon into elite elite offensive territory is something that you really see the difference in the playoffs. And why JB is still a head above Cade IMO.

[MrDollarBills]

Let's be clear, I don't want the Knicks to fail as part of some anti Thibs agenda.

I think Thibs is a playoff limited coach and I think the Knicks will not make it out of the first round.

I'd love to be wrong, but my stellar record predicting wins and losses this season tells me I'm right.

Yeah I don't think anyone is rooting to lose but the way this team has performed against winning clubs has been dreadful, so yes, I think skepticism is warranted especially with how Thibs has coached this season.

[LFGK]

Anyone who says Cade, CURRENTLY, is better than Brunson needs a lobotomy. You've been anti-Knicks pilled too far lol.

ppl gotta get their domes checked, 2 years ago it was Mitchell being better last year it was Joel and Maxey, This season its Cade and if Ivey was playing him. Next season it'll be Banchero,Young or whoever we play round 1. When Brunson cooks Detroit people will change their tune

National media told me last season Banchero was better than Brunson

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it'll never end, every year when the playoffs roll around the TNT scrubs find a new player to anoit. Soooooo glad TNT broadcast is going away(outside of Ernie).

[TheGreenArrow]

In order to survive, Thibs’s must not only get to round 2, the team has to play up to the Celtics level of play. I’m not saying they have to beat the Celtics, the better team at this point in time imo, but we have show that we belong. We can’t go out 4-0, 4-1, or a weak 4-2.

Yep!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Perkins even says it here……..!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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[K_ick_God]

This "pressure" narrative is because people want to see the Knicks fail. But also, your basketball team is not a bunch of names on a paper. Bridges has had a few good years but he's not very good. And there's a reason KAT was traded.

Mitch is one of our higher salaries and hasn't played much at all.

There's no clear second option.

I'm not crapping on the Knicks so much as trying to breathe life into reality here. The pressure amounts to old expectations that really, honestly no longer apply.

Josh Hart is a good player but has become a total non-shooter. There are a lot of holes.

[3toheadmelo]

This "pressure" narrative is because people want to see the Knicks fail. But also, your basketball team is not a bunch of names on a paper. Bridges has had a few good years but he's not very good. And there's a reason KAT was traded.

Mitch is one of our higher salaries and hasn't played much at all.

There's no clear second option.

I'm not crapping on the Knicks so much as trying to breathe life into reality here. The pressure amounts to old expectations that really, honestly no longer apply.

Josh Hart is a good player but has become a total non-shooter. There are a lot of holes.

We have a very flawed roster on both ends. It’s going to be difficult for us to go far in the playoffs with this roster, no matter who the coach is.

[GONYK]

Zach Lowe was pretty bullish on the Knicks in this series on his podcast. Start around 1hr 32min mark

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[TheGreenArrow]

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[thebuzzardman]

Let's be clear, I don't want the Knicks to fail as part of some anti Thibs agenda.

I think Thibs is a playoff limited coach and I think the Knicks will not make it out of the first round.

I'd love to be wrong, but my stellar record predicting wins and losses this season tells me I'm right.

I thought you just predicted all losses each game.

[Knicksfan1992]

Anyway outside of the Brunson/Cade debate, I'm fairly confident that the Knicks win this series in 6 or less but I would have said the same last year of the Pacers and we know how that turned out.

We just have too much talent for this Pistons team. Our best player is better than theirs and certainly our 2nd best player is better than theirs. We might have the 3rd, 4th and 5th best players in the series tbh . Just a very hard mountain of talent deficit to climb over 7 games IMO.

That being said the Pistons are frisky and have guys that can run scolding hot. Beasley was probably the best off-ball shooter in the league this season when you factor in volume of attempts. 41% on 10 attempts per game is obscene efficiency.

Combine that with Hardaway's ability to get hot. Tobias has had seasons of 40% three point shooting before and Fontecchio can shoot too. Knicks have to be on their P's and Q's defensively or this team could get frisky in a hurry.

That being said it feels like if we just semi shut the water from Cade off then this Detroit team doesn't have many avenues to beat us and i'm pretty confident our wing defenders can deal with him over 7 games and if we need to switch I'm confident in Mitch's and KAt's ability to hold up in that matchup .

I am worried a bit about Schroder because he has tons of playoff experience and we have struggled with quick penetrating guards before. McConnell last season did a number on us. Maxey too. That being said if this series comes down to how bad can Dennis Schroder hurt us driving and kicking then I think we're in a great spot.

We just have so many options to throw at these guys and Brunson has had way more challenges to deal with in the playoffs than what this Detroit team presents us. Stewart and Duren have no experience. Same with Ausar who will likely get the Brunson assignment. The only question is truly how healthy is Brunson? If he's more like 50-60% this series becomes a little more tricky but if it's more like 80-90% then he should still be able to get his relatively easy.

Official Prediction is Knicks in 5

[Gravy]

The Knicks roster is equal to the Celtics vs. Nobody on the team is better than Cade

hmmm...

[dakomish23]

For 5 man lineups with 300+ mins, they are 6th and we are 8th in the NBA

T. Harris - T. Hardaway Jr. - C. Cunningham - J. Duren - A. Thompson
39 G
491 mins
115.5 ORTG
109.4 DRTG
6.1 NRTG

K. Towns - O. Anunoby - J. Hart - M. Bridges - J. Brunson
48 G
940 mins
117.7 ORTG
114.4 NRTG
3.3 DRTG

[sol537]

Anyway outside of the Brunson/Cade debate, I'm fairly confident that the Knicks win this series in 6 or less but I would have said the same last year of the Pacers and we know how that turned out.

We just have too much talent for this Pistons team. Our best player is better than theirs and certainly our 2nd best player is better than theirs. We might have the 3rd, 4th and 5th best players in the series tbh . Just a very hard mountain of talent deficit to climb over 7 games IMO.

That being said the Pistons are frisky and have guys that can run scolding hot. Beasley was probably the best off-ball shooter in the league this season when you factor in volume of attempts. 41% on 10 attempts per game is obscene efficiency.

Combine that with Hardaway's ability to get hot. Tobias has had seasons of 40% three point shooting before and Fontecchio can shoot too. Knicks have to be on their P's and Q's defensively or this team could get frisky in a hurry.

That being said it feels like if we just semi shut the water from Cade off then this Detroit team doesn't have many avenues to beat us and i'm pretty confident our wing defenders can deal with him over 7 games and if we need to switch I'm confident in Mitch's and KAt's ability to hold up in that matchup .

I am worried a bit about Schroder because he has tons of playoff experience and we have struggled with quick penetrating guards before. McConnell last season did a number on us. Maxey too. That being said if this series comes down to how bad can Dennis Schroder hurt us driving and kicking then I think we're in a great spot.

We just have so many options to throw at these guys and Brunson has had way more challenges to deal with in the playoffs than what this Detroit team presents us. Stewart and Duren have no experience. Same with Ausar who will likely get the Brunson assignment. The only question is truly how healthy is Brunson? If he's more like 50-60% this series becomes a little more tricky but if it's more like 80-90% then he should still be able to get his relatively easy.

Official Prediction is Knicks in 5

Well said. Coaching is probably a wash head to head in this series so talent will take it and we have the clear edge in talent. Not to mention experience. Knicks in 5. They only get to 6 if they mess around in more than one game which I don't see them doing. Not with Boston likely beating their opponent in 4 or 5.

[god shammgod]

Wally says it’s a fractured locker room and some of the guys ain’t confident about this team.

The vibes ain’t immaculate anymore. That’s for sure.

[knicksstuff]

The goal was always to get to the playoffs healthy to have your best shot at a run. And here we are the healthiest we have been all year. A mini training camp for the team before game 1 something they were robbed of as a full team after the KAT trade. They are going to come out looking better than they did all season

[TheGreenArrow]

Wally says it’s a fractured locker room and some of the guys ain’t confident about this team.

The vibes ain’t immaculate anymore. That’s for sure.

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Yep the pressure is on and not just for thibs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

But everybody on the roster excluding Jb!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!