In three games against the Knicks this season, Cade Cunningham is averaging 30.7 points and 7.2 assists per game. New York, meanwhile, has dropped three out of the four. That’s not a bad night—it’s a pattern. And with the playoffs just around the corner, it might be more than a stat line: it might be foreshadowing. For a Knicks team battling for positioning, the real threat might not be the standings – it’s Detroit. And Detroit smells blood.

After the game, Cade made it clear his mindset was locked in. He wasn’t just playing to finish the season strong after all; Jeff Bickerstaff had made it clear that the team wanted to send a “message” with this game. And they backed up their words. The Knicks have struggled against Cunningham all year, and he knows it. Boasting a season average of over 30 points against New York, their defense has Cade unbothered. With OG Anunoby and Josh Hart being absent, there was not much the Knicks could do to slow him down. With the playoffs looming over the horizon, this doesn’t bode well for the Knicks, who could end up facing the Pistons once again.

The consensus among analysts is growing harder to ignore. During a recent NBA on TNT segment, Charles Barkley didn’t hold back: “The Pistons against the Knicks. But they both can’t win the game.” Barkley believes Detroit would love to face New York. The studio echoed a near-unanimous tone. Kenny Smith added, “When you haven’t been to the playoffs since 2019, you want anybody they’re going to throw in front of you.” The implication was clear: the Knicks are the easier target. And now, analysts at Run It Back by the network FanDuel (valued at $35 billion) are joining in, suggesting Detroit is the tougher out.

Chandler Parsons dove deeper into why Detroit has the edge. He pointed out how calm Cade is, even when guarded by lengthy, elite defenders. Parsons explained that while many would think that guys like OG or Bridges should be able to disrupt Cade, they can’t. According to him, Detroit’s floor spacing and veteran role players, like Tim Hardaway Jr. and Malik Beasley, give Cade all the room he needs to work. Parsons summed it up: “Detroit wants New York, and New York does not want Detroit.”

Lou Williams was just as direct. He called the matchup a “nightmare” for New York, despite the Knicks being the higher seed. Lou emphasized that Detroit plays tougher, matches up well, and simply looks more complete. He said, “If I’m New York, I’m bracing myself for a very competitive first-round matchup.” It’s clear that nobody on that panel thinks the Knicks will come out of that series comfortably.

Detroit Pistons’ playoff push: How two games could change everything

With just two games left, the Detroit Pistons are still in the mix to move up in the standings. Their recent 115-106 win over the Knicks didn’t just mark their third straight victory against New York, it changed the math! They would’ve been locked into the No. 6 seed if they had lost. Instead, they now have a shot at grabbing the fifth spot from the Milwaukee Bucks.

Before the win, Detroit’s odds of landing the No. 5 seed sat at 14%. After Thursday night, they jumped to 23%. That still leaves a 77% chance they stay where they are, but it’s no longer set in stone. “It gives us some options,” a team source noted, and those two games ahead suddenly carry a lot more weight than before.

Both games are against the Bucks, who are two games ahead and riding a six-game win streak. If Detroit wins both, they’ll tie Milwaukee’s record at 46-36. Thanks to a better conference record, the Pistons would win the tiebreaker and grab the No. 5 seed. That scenario would likely pair them with the Pacers in Round 1, not the Knicks.

If Detroit splits the series or loses both, they’re stuck at No. 6. In that case, a Knicks matchup becomes almost certain, unless both the Knicks lose twice and the Pacers win out. Then, the Pacers jump to No. 3, making them Detroit’s opponent instead. It’s a long shot, but crazier things have happened.

For a team that’s spent years clawing out of mediocrity, a first-round loss to Detroit would feel like déjà vu wrapped in humiliation. Another loud spring in the Garden silenced by an upstart guard with nothing to lose

There’s also strategy in play. If Detroit drops the first game, resting starters in Game 2 could make sense. Why risk injury if the outcome won’t change anything? Either way, all eyes are on this weekend. The playoffs begin April 19, but for the Pistons, they’ve already started.