The New York Knicks find themselves in a first-round series tied at one game apiece with the Pistons ahead of Game 3 in Detroit.
One could argue this series could easily be 2-0 in the Pistons’ favor.
If it weren’t for a 21-0 run in the fourth quarter of game one, New York would’ve lost the series opener at Madison Square Garden.
In Game 2, Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges were nowhere to be found in the second half, forcing Jalen Brunson to play hero-ball. Towns scored 10 points on 11 shots in the first half and then didn’t record a single shot attempt in the second half.
Bridges missed all four shot attempts in the final frame and two crucial three-point attempts, two possessions apart. The first one came with four minutes to go in the quarter, with the Knicks trailing 92-86. The second came with his team down 92-88 and a tick under three minutes to go.
These two players were acquired for a king’s ransom this past summer, as the two supposed-to-be superstars headed to the Big Apple for a pick swap, six additional first-round picks, Julius Randle, and Donte DiVincenzo.
In the two games, the Pistons have outshot the Knicks at the free-throw line 54-36, but the Knicks have knocked down a higher percentage of their attempts, 86.1%- 79.6%. With more attempts, the percentage would likely be lower.
OG Anunoby locked down Cade Cunningham in game one, with most of Detroit’s point guards scoring coming in garbage time. He scored 21 points, snatched six boards, and dished out 12 assists.
The same lack of production couldn’t be said after game two, with Cunningham dropping 33 points on 52% shooting, 12 rebounds, and three assists. The 23-year-old also went 10-of-12 from the charity stripe.
Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau has arguably been out-coached to this point. If it weren’t for a late collapse from an inexperienced Pistons team and two stars missing in action, Thibodeau would be staring down the barrel of elimination ahead of game three, trailing two games to none.
Detroit felt the pressure of the Garden in both games, as New York almost completed yet another comeback, trailing by as much as 15 at one point. As the Knicks faithful got louder, the Pistons started to make more turnovers.
Longtime veterans like Dennis Schröder, Tobias Harris, and Malik Beasley have played huge roles for the Pistons in the first two games.
The anticipation of this series was that it would be a close one, no matter who came out on top. The series isn’t over until one team loses at home – the Knicks have lost game two at home. It’s crucial they steal one on the road in either game three or four before they head back home for game five.
In order for the Knicks to take Game 3, they’ll have to get production from both Towns and Bridges, along with Brunson – Brunson can’t win this series alone.
The longer this series lasts, the worse it gets for the Knicks. Giving a young, hungry, and physical team like the Pistons a feeling of confidence or the scent of blood in the water could end New York’s season.
