With playoff pressure boiling and tensions running high, things got a little extra spicy between the Detroit Pistons and the New York Knicks in Game 2.
After evening the series with a gritty 100-94 win at Madison Square Garden, Detroit walked into enemy territory and punched back, hard. But it’s not just about the buckets anymore.
Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau made headlines with officiating complaints, and Pistons head coach JB Bickerstaff didn’t hesitate to clap back.
Pistons HC Doesn’t Flinch: “We Can Survive Physicality”
There’s been no shortage of physical play in this series. Every possession has felt like a fistfight, every rebound a brawl.
But when Thibodeau suggested that Cade Cunningham was getting favorable treatment from the refs compared to Jalen Brunson, it didn’t take long for that spark to light a fire.
“We’re happy with the way the games are being called,” Bickerstaff said, straight-faced, with just enough edge in his voice to let you know it wasn’t just coach-speak.
“We can survive physicality, so we’ve got no issue with it.”
J.B. Bickerstaff on officiating this series:
“We can survive physicality, so we’ve got no issue with it. When you look at the comparison. … Their guy is leading the league right now is playoff free-throw attempts. Cade is ninth at this point.” pic.twitter.com/FvctSiPBAg
— Hunter Patterson (@HuntPatterson_) April 23, 2025
Detroit, on the other hand, has built its identity around surviving the storm. This is a franchise that went from the basement to the ballroom in a single year.
From a brutal 14-win season that included a 28-game losing skid, to tripling its win total and clawing its way back into playoff relevance – this team didn’t come here for moral victories. It came for blood.
Pistons Embrace the Grit While Thibodeau Questions the Whistle
Now that the series shifts to Little Caesars Arena, the stage is set for what could be a defining chapter in Detroit’s comeback tale. The Pistons hadn’t won a playoff game in 17 years—until Game 2. And now, with the buzz in Motor City reaching a fever pitch, the home crowd is ready to roar.
For New York, the issues run deeper than the whistles. Karl-Anthony Towns hasn’t quite found his rhythm, and the Knicks’ inability to match Detroit’s physicality has been exposed.
Brunson, despite being a bright spot, hasn’t received the support he needs. Thibodeau’s officiating complaints might be aimed at shifting the narrative, but Bickerstaff’s message was clear: no excuses.
The Pistons held a 22-19 record at home during the regular season, and they’re playing with house money now. Detroit has led for long stretches of this series and knows it can break the Knicks’ confidence again by setting the tone early and leaning into that signature physical edge.
Detroit isn’t here to fold. It’s here to fight. And with Bickerstaff sending a clear message to the Knicks, and maybe the refs, too. The Pistons are locked in. Game 3 is going to be more than just another playoff clash. It’s going to be an all-out brawl.