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
