New York Knicks vs. Detroit Pistons Pick & Prediction MAY 1st 2025

Preview and Prediction

J.B. Bickerstaff was a member of a previous coaching staff that rallied from a 3-1 deficit to emerge victorious in an NBA playoff series. A decade later, he finds himself in a similar situation with his Detroit Pistons.

Bickerstaff served as an assistant coach for Houston when they made an incredible comeback against the Los Angeles Clippers in the 2015 Western Conference semifinals. Now, he has the opportunity to lead the Pistons to a similar feat as they face the New York Knicks in Game 6 of their Eastern Conference first-round series on Thursday.

The Knicks currently hold a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven series. Only 13 teams in NBA history have managed to overcome a 3-1 deficit in the playoffs.

"Our focus is solely on the game in front of us," Bickerstaff stated. "Our team has grown because of our mentality to stay in the moment. We don't look ahead to five games, we just focus on the present. This approach helps us avoid the pressure and distractions that come with looking too far ahead."

The Pistons bounced back from two tough losses at home and avoided elimination on Tuesday by defeating the Knicks 106-103. Cade Cunningham stepped up in the second half, scoring 20 of his 24 points, while Ausar Thompson had his best offensive performance of the series with 22 points. The Pistons also did a great job defensively, limiting Jalen Brunson to just 16 points on 4-of-16 shooting.

"It's an amazing feeling," Cunningham said after the win. "We're still in this series. It's been a tough battle so far, with both teams fighting hard on the boards and playing tough defense. It takes a lot of execution and mental preparation to win games like this. Tonight was a great win for us, and we need to carry that momentum into the next game at home."

The physicality of the series has taken a toll on the Knicks, with Brunson and Josh Hart both forced to leave the game in the final minutes due to injuries. Coach Tom Thibodeau chose not to use a timeout to get them back in the game until there were only 27.1 seconds remaining.

"There are many factors to consider when deciding whether to call a timeout," Thibodeau explained. "You have to look at the time, the score, the penalty, and the flow of the game. Do you feel like the next possession will seal the win? There's a lot that goes into it."

Brunson, who averaged 33.3 points in the first four games of the series, assured reporters that his ankle is fine. Hart, on the other hand, admitted, "My whole body is hurting right now."

With only one day between games, the Knicks will need to quickly put the disappointment of Game 5 behind them and focus on closing out the series on their home court.

"We haven't been able to secure a commanding win yet," said Karl-Anthony Towns, who was held to just 17 points in Game 5. "We've been gritty and physical throughout this series, and it's helped us win games. But we can only rely on that so many times before it catches up to us. The point differential in Detroit was only three points. We need to find a way to win more convincingly."

Despite the fact that the road team has won four of the five games in the series and the Pistons have lost an NBA record-tying nine consecutive home playoff games since 2008, the Knicks are not taking anything for granted as they aim to advance to the Eastern Conference semifinals for the third consecutive season.

"We need to go out there and win the game," Hart emphasized. "We need to compete and play physical. We can't worry about foul calls or the referees. We need to focus on what we can control."

PREDICTION

New York Knicks

106

107

Detroit Pistons

New York Knicks vs. Detroit Pistons Recap JAN 15TH 2023