Knicks Open the Playoffs by Welcoming Detroit to the Garden
The best time of the year for Knicks basketball has finally reached us. The culmination of all regular-season successes and disappointments will be displayed on Saturday evening. Game One against a Detroit Pistons team that has improved more than any other franchise over the past year will be a fun matchup to watch. The Knicks have a chance to silence many critics this postseason, and a win against the Pistons in game one is essentially necessary to start the campaign on the right note. They can not underestimate Detroit and think this series will be a breeze. Although they are inexperienced playoff-wise, they have knocked off a variety of contenders in the regular season, including the Knicks, and will undoubtedly be a tough matchup.
Game Insight
In the season series, the Pistons currently hold the advantage, winning three out of the four matchups against the Knicks in the regular season. While this may seem concerning for New York, they had a slew of injuries while playing the Pistons this season, but they did manage to beat them by thirty in one game this year. One big concern going into this game is the health of O.G. Anunoby, who is listed as a game-time decision with an existing thumb injury, while Isaiah Stewart is questionable with a knee injury. Ariel Hukporti of the Knicks and Jaden Ivey of the Pistons will continue to be out of this game with their month-long injuries.
Key Matchup
The matchup to watch in this game is, without a doubt, the star-studded Eastern Conference point guard duel. Jalen Brunson going up against Cade Cunningham is a matchup that will steal the show on the biggest stages of them all, Madison Square Garden. Both clutch offensive powerhouses will lead their team in scoring, although it will all come down to who is more efficient from the field. They have each shown playoff-ready moments throughout the season, and it will be appealing to see whose skill set will translate over to the postseason. Whoever can gain the leverage in this battle will provide a series-deciding advantage for their team.
