For the past two seasons, the Knicks have failed to play beyond the second round of the playoffs. Last year, they were sent packing by the Pacers in a heartbreaking seven-game series. Maybe the third time is the charm. This year, they begin their postseason journey with a series against the Pistons, who have surprised everyone with their exponential growth. But as Tom Thibodeau prepares for the highly-anticipated matchup, he has one crucial lineup concern to worry about—the combination of Karl-Anthony Towns and Mitchell Robinson.

Well, the big-man duo did not get much time together on the court during the regular season. That’s because Robinson was limited to playing only seventeen games all year as he was dealing with a lingering ankle injury. Of course, the issue has been bothering him since last year’s playoffs, and he even got his ankle surgically repaired. Due to the prolonged rehab process, Robinson made his season debut in late February. So, he hasn’t had enough time to build chemistry with KAT.

But Thibodeau has liked what he has seen from the duo in their limited time together. “Yeah, it’s a small sample size but we’ve had some good minutes with them. Particularly down the stretch here as Mitch is starting to get more rhythm, I think it’s been good.” The head coach told the media. Moreover, Thibs is not opposed to the idea of using KAT and Mitchell in the same lineup during the Pistons series.

“A lot of it depends on who they have on the floor. Yeah, but I like it a lot.” He added. Individually, both players can be key contributors in the playoffs. Of course, Towns is one of the Knicks primary options and has had an amazing debut season with them, averaging 24.4 points and nearly thirteen rebounds.

And Thibodeau would expect a similar outcome from him going forward. Meanwhile, Robinson was also a pivotal piece in the Knicks’ playoff run last year. Although not a scorer, he contributed with his rebounding and interior defense, averaging 6.8 boards and over one block. So, the two big men together could surprise everyone if Thibs uses them the right way. But the head coach will be very cautious because he understands the challenge that lies ahead. And so does Jalen Brunson.

Jalen Brunson and Tom Thibodeau say the same thing ahead of challenging Pistons series

Until last year, Pistons were the laughing stock of the league. They finished the season with only fourteen wins and matched the infamous record of a 28-game losing streak. But JB Bickerstaff has turned the franchise around in just one season. With him leading the charge, the Detroit team jumped from the bottom to the sixth seed. So, Jalen Brunson has warned the Knicks locker room to not take their first-round opponents lightly.

“It’s definitely a challenge. They bring a level of physicality that is known with JB Bickerstaff teams. I think they embrace that. They embrace him. So, they got a good thing going over there. It’s definitely a big challenge.” Brunson said in his latest interview. Even Thibodeau shared a similar sentiment about the Pistons, “Yeah, they’ve had a great season. I think JB’s done a great job there. They added I think really good veterans to complement you know the young players that they have… They play both sides of the ball. You have to be ready.”

With veteran stars like Dennis Schroder and Malik Beasley, along with young talent like Cade Cunningham and Jalen Duren, the Pistons have built the perfect squad for playoff contention. So, the Knicks need to be very careful while facing them, otherwise they might get sent home early for the third time in a row. Do you think the Knicks can overcome this challenge?