Rob Veno

THE PLAY: New York Knicks -7.0 (-110)

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(501) Detroit Pistons at (502) New York Knicks   (Game Analysis Below) 

Play Rating: FREE

Play Type: Full Game Side

Play: New York Knicks -7.0 (-110)

Date/Time: Apr 19, 2025 6:00 PM 

Line Provider: Consensus Line

Detroit @ New York

Injury Report:

Detroit: Clean Injury Report 

New York: Clean Injury Report

Schedule: 

Each side had L6 days off

Advantage: None

Matchup & Situation: 

A lot of the same assets here with most significant differences being preferred tempo of these teams and interior strengths 

New York plays at a slow pace (#25 in the NBA) while Detroit wants to get up and down the floor ranking 9th fastest in the league   

Pistons are #2 in Fast Break points overall this season but the Knicks transition defense checks in at #10 this season…

Averages are equal…Detroit gets 14.5 ppg from their fast break and the NYK allow 14.5 BUT…  

Detroit has become even faster with the 2nd half acquisition of #2 PG Dennis Schroeder climbing to #6 in tempo & 19.2 Fast Break ppg (+4.7)  

A some point in this series (more probable once Detroit gets home) that pace figures to be a substantial asset

Where Detroit has been strong all season is along the interior & specifically offensive rebounding led by C Jalen Duren & FG% inside the paint  

The latter is their best matchup advantage vs. New York which allows 59.4% in the paint (#25 in the league)

Pistons effectiveness in that area is a combination of rim attacking guards & Duren working the glass

It’s a bit different now though since Detroit lost #2 C Isaiah Stewart to a season ending injury 10 games ago…

He was the interior complement to Duren and the Pistons don’t have another player with Stewart’s rebounding and rim defense assets (#2 & #1 on the team in those categories)     

Final Look:

Fundamental “on the floor” matchup wise there’s not a ton of separation between these teams

However the experience advantage is large enough to play in this series opener

Knicks lineup with the addition of C Karl-Anthony Towns who went to the Western Conference Finals with Minnesota last season now goes 7 deep with key contributors who know this spotlight  

If the Detroit youth and inexperience in post-season play is going to show up in the form of jitters it figures to show up here  

Madison Square Garden environment for Game #1 of a Knicks playoff series is a venue where the Pistons could potentially unravel and lose contact

New York has weaponry led by #1 PG Jalen Brunson who has a “bury the opponent” type mentality in moments where Knicks have opportunity to seize control     

As mentioned…Knicks have additional support with same mindset in SF O.G. Annunoby who’s been on a post All-Star Break tear…AND 

If there is any player who figures to be focused on having a big stage reprieve after what he went through last playoff season it’s C Karl Anthony Towns

This is the type of young team he can use to get his post season confidence to the high level it needs to be at

It might take Detroit a game to get used to the difference between regular season & Playoff intensity so look here is toward the Knicks to win by 8+  

PLAY: New York -7