Pistons vs Knicks playoffs: Cade Cunningham dominated New York this season
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The Detroit Pistons have roared back to the NBA playoffs for the first time since 2019, a year after putting up the most losses in a season in franchise history.
Facing the sixth-seeded Pistons in the first round is the New York Knicks, the Eastern Conference No. 3 seed that arguably has a more talented team than the Pistons on paper.
But basketball isn't played on paper — it's played on hardwood (though both do come from trees).
And when the Knicks and Pistons have matched up over the 2024-25 season, it has mostly gone the Pistons' way, with Detroit going 3-1 over their Eastern foe in the regular season, buoyed by Cade Cunningham and physical defense.
Let's take a look at all four of the teams' head-to-head matchups from the regular season:
Nov. 1: Knicks 128, Pistons 98
The Pistons hosted the first matchup of the season, a game that was pretty much over soon after it started.
The Knicks built a 26-point advantage for a 39-13 lead after the first quarter and didn't let up from there, giving the Pistons their largest loss of the season. All-NBA Knicks guard Jalen Brunson led all scorers with 36 points, and while Cunningham scored 22 on 10-for-19 shooting, the Knicks kept him completely away from the foul line (zero attempted free throws).
The loss put the Pistons at 1-5 on the season, showing shades of the franchise-worst 2023-24 team. However, the Pistons soon found their success — and the Knicks were a witness on three different occasions.
Dec. 7: Pistons 120, Knicks 111
The Pistons bounced back at Madison Square Garden with a balanced approach that fueled a nine-point win. All five Pistons starters finished in double figures in points, with guard Malik Beasley adding 23 points off the bench while shooting 7-for-10 from 3-point territory.
But it was Cunningham who stole the show, becoming the first Piston to record a triple-double at the current iteration of the Garden. He finished with 29 points, 15 assists and 10 rebounds. His 15 assists were his third-highest total of the season.
The win also snapped a three-game skid for the Pistons, bringing their record to 10-15 on the season.
Jan. 13: Pistons 124, Knicks 119
The Knicks looked for revenge at the Garden, but the Pistons were too hot to slow down.
The Pistons beat the Knicks, 124-119, in their third meeting, and second on the Knicks' home floor. Cunningham led all scorers with 36 points as all five Pistons starters once again reached double figures in points.
The win was the Pistons' 10th in 12 games, giving them a 21-19 record nearing the midway point of the season. The Pistons put together another 10-win performance in an 11-game stretch less than a month later as they established themselves as a sure-fire playoff team.
April 10: Pistons 115, Knicks 106
The final matchup of the season was billed as a potential playoff preview, and it did not disappoint (well, not for the Pistons, anyway).
The Pistons beat the Knicks, 115-106, at Little Caesars Arena on Thursday night, keeping their hopes of a No. 5 seed alive and offering a late-season look at their first-round foe.
Cunningham turned in another 36-point performance, but the headline was the Pistons' defense, which held the Knicks to 35.4% shooting in the second half. For a near five-minute stretch toward the end of the game, the Pistons held the Knicks scoreless to complete a 13-point comeback.
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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Pistons vs Knicks playoffs: How Detroit had success vs NYK this season
