A Different First Round Playoff Feel For Knicks

It’s playoff time once again for the New York Knicks. 

Third straight playoff appearance, second straight 50 win season, so one would think the vibes would be immaculate around the franchise. 

Not necessarily the case if you have been following the team all year. 

The Knicks narrative when it comes to beating the best teams in the league is well documented. 

It’s been a massive failure. 

The Knicks are winless against the Celtics, Cavaliers and Thunder and for the most part were non competitive in a good majority of those games. 

It leads to skepticism regarding the 2024-2025 team and what kind of damage they can do in this years’ postseason. 

The Knicks will get their chance to match up with the elite of the NBA if they can take care of business in round 1 against an upstart Detroit Pistons team. 

The Knicks find themselves in a different position heading into the postseason as opposed to the last two seasons. 

The group is no longer looked at as simply the feel good, upstart team anymore. 

There are serious, significant expectations. 

The postseason is no longer viewed as this feel good, house money type of ride. 

The Knicks traded for Karl Anthony Towns and gave away multiple first round picks to acquire Mikal Bridges. 

At the beginning of the year, the expectation was the Knicks competing with the elite of the NBA to be in the Championship mix. 

At the moment, they look like the best of the second tier teams. The bottom line heading into the first round series against Detroit is this. 

The Knicks are a much more talented team than the Pistons. They have playoff experience, a battle tested head coach and a battle tested team. 

Yes, Pistons standout Cade Cunningham has had a breakout season and has had great success against the Knicks during the regular season. 

The rest of the Pistons roster isn’t necessarily keeping you up at night.  It would be inexcusable to lose a first round series to this inexperienced Pistons group. 

Vegas agrees with my assessment. The Knicks are -400 favorites in this matchup. Translation, heavy, heavy favorites. 

It’s the sort of first round series loss that should bring significant change one way or another to the Knicks group, regardless of the regular season success. 

All of the pressure will be on the Knicks to go and win this series. 

Before we can begin with the measuring stick that is the Celtics, it’s time to take care of business in Mo-Town. 

Despite the burden of expectation, I expect the Knicks to do so in 6. 

After all, we better be talking about Knicks-Celtics… 

Or else…