The New York Knicks will enter the NBA playoffs as the third seed in the Eastern Conference. They will also begin their postseason journey with a questionmark hanging over the fitness of Jalen Brunson. The All-Star guard is currently sidelined with an ankle sprain.
During a March 18 appearance on ESPN’s NBA Today, former NBA champion Udonis Haslem made the bold prediction that New York could be eliminated in the opening round.
“I’m looking at the matchup and (the Pistons) are sharpening their swords and they are ready for this matchup,” Haslem said. “Cade Cunningham, Malik Beasley, those guys are ready for this matchup. Jalen Brunson coming in or not, that ankle’s not going to be ready until the summertime. We all know that, so he is not going to be healthy. I’m looking at Detroit and saying this could be a first-round exit for New York.”
The Knicks spent this past summer strengthening their rotation. They extended OG Anunoby while adding Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns. Coming into the season, the Knicks were seen as genuine rivals to the Boston Celtics stronghold on the Eastern Conference.
Unfortunately, the Knicks are yet to gel. Their hallmark defensive intensity hasn’t been there all season. Instead, it made way for some stellar offensive showings that didn’t always translate into wins. Of course, Brunson’s fitness will play a significant role in the Knicks’ overall chances of success.
Knicks Could Struggle vs. Pistons
As things stand, the Detroit Pistons will be the Knicks’ opponent in the opening round of the playoffs. J.B. Bickerstaff has drastically improved the Pistons on-court production. Furthermore, the front office was smart with their roster construction over the summer. The result has been a breakout season for Cade Cunningham, who looks like a future superstar, and Malik Beasley, who is the likely runner-up for the Sixth Man of the Year award.
Detroit plays a physical brand of basketball. They have the shooting and playmaking to carve open a stringent defense. Worse still, they’re physical enough to deal with the Knicks’ abrasive brand of defense. As such, it’s clear the Pistons could be a tricky matchup for New York, especially if Brunson isn’t at his best.
Knicks Could Use a Double-Big Lineup
During the Knicks 116-95 win over the Miami Heat on March 17, Tom Thibodeau began testing a double-big lineup. Towns and Mitchell Robinson shared the court for the opening half of the fourth quarter. During his postgame news conference, Thibodeau shared his thoughts on using a bigger lineup moving forward.
“When you have Mitch and KAT out there together, you’ve got two 7-footers. And, when OG’s on the front line with them also, you’re so long,” Thibodeau said. “The basket’s protected…We have two 7-footers out there. If you get by one, you got another waiting at the rim. I think that has a huge impact on the game. And then, OG’s uniqueness in the sense that he gives you another really long athletic guy…I was very pleased.”
A Towns and Robinson pairing could be what propels New York past the Pistons in the playoffs. The elite scoring, rim pressure and shot blocking could take Thibodeau’s roster to another level. However, Haslem is right in what he’s saying; Brunson’s health will be the deciding factor for New York, either in the opening round or later in the playoffs.
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