The New York Knicks enter the 2025 NBA Playoffs as the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference. From an outsider’s perspective, they have a legitimate shot at winning the NBA Finals, but that’s not the reality unless they clean up some aspects of their game.
The Knicks made two trades this past offseason to stack up against the rest of the East and compete for a championship by acquiring Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges.
Towns averaged 24.4 points, 12.8 rebounds, and 3.1 assists per game. His 24.4 points per game ranked 18th in the NBA. Bridges played in all 82 games for the fourth season in a row and the fifth time in his career. The 6-foot-6 forward averaged 17.6 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game.
Injury Concerns
Tom Thinedeau’s roster is a ticking time bomb when it comes to the health of his players, but the first round doesn’t tip off until Saturday night, so this time off might benefit his team.
Two-time All-Star Jalen Brunson suffered an ankle injury against the Los Angeles Lakers on March 6, that sidelined him for the next month, not making his next appearance until April 6. He showed signs of his old self against the Cleveland Cavaliers on April 11, but there’s still improvement to be made.
Mitchell Robinson didn’t make his 2024-2025 season debut until Feb. 28 and played in just 17 games this season. He’s still in the process of getting his legs under him and his physicality in the paint is crucial for this team’s success, especially in the first round against a Detroit Pistons team that’s very physical.
Lack of competitiveness against the top teams
New York went 1-13 against the top-three seeds in both the Eastern and Western conferences this season, with their lone win coming against the Houston Rockets on Feb. 3.
In those 14 games, the Knicks have a minus-193. The good news for the Knicks is they don’t play either of those five teams in the first round, they play the Detroit Pistons. Detroit is the No. 6 seed in the East, but they have a 3-1 record against the Knicks this season.
Why is that good news for the Knicks? New York had a positive point differential despite losing three out of the four meetings, at plus-seven. Yes, they lost three-games-to-one, but they never lost by double figures, and the one time they beat the Pistons, they won by 30.
3-point defense
The Knicks are ranked No. 25 in the league in 3-point defense with 36.7%. The Pistons shot 36.2% from behind the arc, which is 17th in the NBA, but in their four meetings this season, Detroit averaged 40.7% from 3-point land.
If the Pistons shoot the Knicks out of the gym, there could be some serious issues in the first round.
Cade Cunningham
The Pistons’ offense is headlined by star guard Cade Cunningham, who averaged 26.1 points, 6.1 rebounds and 9.1 assists per game. In the four meetings against the Knicks this season, Cunningham averaged roughly 30.8 points, five rebounds, and 8.3 assists per game.
If New York can limit his production or match his performances with Brunson’s, in addition to Bridges, Towns, or OG Anunoby having big games, the Knicks can beat them in five or six games.
