In a matchup that previews a likely first-round matchup, the New York Knicks fell to the Detroit Pistons 115-106 on Thursday night.
The Knicks were sloppy, turning the ball over 14 times, with Karl-Anthony Towns being responsible for seven of them. As the game got more physical and Pistons faithful got louder, the more pressure New York felt and started to crumble.
The Knicks lost three of their four meetings against Detroit this season, setting up for a highly anticipated first-round matchup. The Pistons will enter the playoffs as the No. 6 seed in what will be their first playoff appearance since 2019, when they got swept by the Milwaukee Bucks.
The Pistons haven’t won a playoff game since 2008, but this team is hungry, physical, and full of young talent, headlined by Cade Cunningham.
With OG Anunoby, Mitchell Robinson, and Josh Hart unavailable for Thursday’s contest, Precious Achiuwa got an opportunity to prove to Knicks’ head coach Tom Thibodeau that he deserves meaningful minutes come playoff time.
Achiuwa dropped 18 points while adding 10 rebounds, three assists, three blocks, and two steals to his credit. The 25-year-old shot 8-for-13 in 30-plus meaningful minutes.
There’s one positive to take from this loss, despite the Knicks not clinching the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference; they missed two of their three starters and a key big man off the bench and only lost by nine points.
Hart has been a huge part of this team’s success, delivering on both sides of the basketball, as well as making his presence felt on the glass. Anunoby has been on a tear as of late, scoring 23 or more points in 10 of his last 11 games.
Robinson’s presence in the paint was missed, especially with Detroit’s physicality, showing signs of the Bad Boy Pistons from the late 1980s, early-1990s.
Towns finished with 25 points and 10 rebounds, but recording half of the team’s turnovers and getting into foul trouble early is what partially cost New York this game.
Had the Knicks had Anunoby, Hart, Robinson, and a healthier Jalen Brunson, they likely would have won this game. Since that’s not the reality and Brunson likely won’t be 100% come playoff time, they’ll need contributions from their other stars, like Mikal Bridges and Towns.
The Knicks are back in action on Friday against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m. ET from Madison Square Garden.
