DETROIT — So, like, I was checking out this series, right? And like, if you look at the top six players, five of them are from the Knicks. Crazy, right? They had all this talent going for them, with two All-Star starters and an offense that was top-5 in the NBA. But man, every night was a struggle, especially leading up to Game 6 on Thursday. The wins were just as hard as the losses, if not harder.
The Knicks were up 3-2 in the series but had only outscored the Pistons by one point. Their offense was a mess, thanks to Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges pulling off some Houdini moves. Possessions felt clunky, like trying to fit a square peg into a round hole.
But hey, Josh Hart had some good news. He thought the Knicks were playing well below their best, so they had room to improve. They were gonna need it if they wanted to stand a chance against the Celtics in the next round.
Now, Hart was all about picking up the pace. He thought playing faster would throw off the Pistons and force them into making mistakes. And when they did, the Knicks could capitalize. Simple, right? Well, easier said than done.
The Knicks had some solid players like Jalen Brunson, Towns, and Bridges, who could create opportunities in the halfcourt. But for some reason, their shooting percentage was way down in the series, sitting at a measly 44%. They were also dishing out fewer assists than usual, which meant the ball movement was lacking.
Brunson took some of the blame, saying he needed to step up and make better decisions with the ball. Was it just poor play, or were the Pistons ramping up their defense for the playoffs? Who knows, man. It’s a tough call.
The higher seeds in the Eastern Conference were cruising through their matchups, unlike the Knicks. They were the only top seed not to make it out of the first round in five games. Ouch.
The Celtics were chilling, getting some rest while waiting to face the winner of the Knicks-Pistons showdown. That’s what happens when you don’t bring your A-game, right?
Hart wasn’t sweating it, though. He knew the Pistons were a tough team with a solid coaching staff. They had to focus on themselves and not worry about what the other teams were doing. Rest? Who needs it when you’re grinding for a win?
So, yeah, the Knicks had some work to do if they wanted to stay in the game. They couldn’t afford to let the Pistons dictate the pace or control the flow of the game. It was all about stepping up, making plays, and taking care of business. And maybe, just maybe, they could pull off a win when it mattered most.
