After a humbling loss in front of their home crowd in Game 2, the third-seeded New York Knicks are left with much to ponder heading into tonight’s matchup in Detroit, with the series now tied. This young Detroit Pistons team is playing with an aggression that doesn’t suit this Knicks team, which was built in the offseason on finesse.
J.B. Bickerstaff has outcoached Tom Thibodeau for seven of the eight quarters. If it weren’t for the Knicks going on a 21-0 blitz to save themselves in the fourth quarter of Game 1, things could be much worse.
So far, the Knicks look too preoccupied with the inconsistent officiating. It’s a sign the Pistons are getting to them. They keep looking toward the referees instead of running a basic offense.
This inexperienced Pistons team deserves a lot of credit. They weren’t fazed by the bright lights, the celebrity-packed crowd, or the Broadway energy. Now they head home, where fans are hungry to see their team channel the “Bad Boy Pistons” of the past. Detroit also won three of four regular-season games against the Knicks.
Predictions and How To Watch Game 3 of Knicks vs. Pistons
- How to watch: TNT, MSG Network, FanDuel Sports Detroit
- Stream: Prime Video, HBO Max
- Time: 7 p.m. ET
Key Matchup: Cade Cunningham vs. Jalen Brunson
Congrats to Jalen Brunson on winning the NBA Clutch Player of the Year Award for 2025. He’s the first player in Eastern Conference history to win the award.
Brunson is averaging 35.5 points and 7.5 assists this series. He’s delivered in the clutch time and again in these first two games. But as the point guard, he needs to get Karl-Anthony Towns — who didn’t take a shot in the fourth quarter of Game 2 — more involved.
Cade Cunningham, meanwhile, is a star on the rise and dominated Game 2 with 33 points. It’s a tough matchup for him with OG Anunoby, Miles McBride, and Mikal Bridges guarding him, but he’s made light work of them so far, particularly the latter.
Brunson, on the other end, is a below-average defender, though he’s good at drawing charges. Even so, expect Cunningham to keep attacking him and Towns in the paint, where he’s been getting most of his success.
What the Stats Say
Remarkably, the Pistons shot just 22% from deep in Game 2 and still won, thanks to a 46-40 edge in paint points. They also outrebounded the Knicks 48-34.
Both teams struggled with assists (11 for Detroit, 15 for New York). Thibodeau’s read-and-react offense often turns into iso ball for Brunson. He’s great at it, but that leaves four guys standing around. The Knicks have to involve Anunoby and Towns more to exploit mismatches.
Knicks vs. Pistons Predictions
Expect Brunson to focus more on getting others involved. Game 2 may have been a wake-up call for New York, or it could point to bigger problems. This might be the key game of the series.
Detroit is playing free and aggressive, and they’ll keep that going tonight. Thibodeau would be smart to move Josh Hart or Bridges to the bench and start Mitchell Robinson to counter Detroit’s dominance in the paint.
Hart is a key glue guy coming off a strong year, but he doesn’t trust his outside shot. The same goes for Bridges, whose 3-point shot is off. He missed multiple big looks late in Game 2, allowing Detroit to pack the paint and swarm Brunson, Towns, and Anunoby.
The Pistons also have a bench. Dennis Schröder dropped 20 points last game, and Malik Beasley is dangerous from the corners.
Meanwhile, the Knicks used a four-man bench — three of whom didn’t score. Only McBride chipped in with eight points.
This one’s tough to call. New York has more talent, but the Pistons bring the physicality, depth, and pace the Knicks have lacked all season. One thing, however, that feels likely is that this series is going the distance.