Knicks Have a Bigger Worry on Sunday Than Just Who Wins Game 7

What the Knicks could be watching for in Sunday's Game 7. | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

After days of waiting, the Knicks will finally have their conference finals opponent on Sunday. New York very well could prefer the Cavaliers to take home Game 7 considering it means home-court advantage in the ECF for Jalen Brunson and co.

However, the way Sunday's contest unfolds is just as important as the final result.

Grueling Game 7 should be Knicks' top wish on Sunday over specific opponent

The Pistons and Cavs going the entire seven games is a win in itself for the Knicks. It's the complete opposite experience that New York had, putting these teams in two completely different places when it comes to how much energy they have left in the tank. Especially since Detroit and Cleveland both went the distance in the first round as well.

However, a blowout by either side in Game 7 would diminish a little bit of that advantage for New York. The final contest in a series should be where both teams empty the clip in hopes of advancing, but that doesn't always happen in reality. The postseason grind eventually breaks some squads given its unique challenges that aren't present at all in the regular season.

Looking at both the Cavaliers and Pistons, either team has the potential to be run off the court on Sunday. Cleveland laid an absolute egg Friday night, which was a concerning showing from a team that had an ECF berth and opportunity to eliminate the one-seed in its hands.

Meanwhile, Detroit hasn't played like the juggernaut it was expected to be following the 2025-26 campaign, and this extra bit of adversity following a near-disaster against Orlando could ultimately be the straw that breaks the camel's back.

If a lopsided affair unfolds, it allows the advancing team to sneak in some unexpected rest with the daunting Knicks awaiting. Every little reprieve matters when guys are pushing it to the limit. Doubly so since the conference finals starts on Tuesday, so there's only one scheduled day of rest before they're back at it again.

Finding a way to create an extra break would be huge for either potential opponent. The Pistons' hopes and dreams rest on Cade Cunningham, who's the only Detroit scorer recording over 20 points per game, while also pacing them in assists (7.7). Even a quarter of rest would certainly be felt for the Pistons star, as he's averaging a whopping 41.2 minutes per game this postseason.

Fresher legs for Detroit overall also allows JB Bickerstaff's squad to better defend home court despite the quick turnaround. They would open the series in the friendly confines of Little Caesars Arena, and being at a rest disadvantage allows the Knicks to steal a game before heading back to Garden. That mission isn't as easy, though, if the Pistons don't have to play at 110% until the buzzer hits zero in Game 7.

The Cavs are similarly headlined by a leading star in Donovan Mitchell (25.6 PPG) who could use a breather. Cleveland's also relied heavily on a 36-year-old James Harden -- who actually leads the team in MPG at 37.5 this postseason -- to compete in these playoffs, and the veteran guard may benefit even more from time off than Mitchell would.

The Cavaliers would be the road team to begin the conference finals as well, so they could put up more of a fight at MSG coming off this series if they find a chance to relax on Sunday.

All of this means New York's primary hope on Sunday should be a back-and-forth contest that goes down to the wire and exhausts both teams, rather than just a specific side advancing. Drawing the Cavs is likely the preferred matchup for multiple reasons, but Cleveland can still do the Knicks a huge favor even if they don't win by pushing the Pistons to the brink in Game 7.

That way, even if Mike Brown's squad has to begin the ECF at Detroit, it'd face a team that had to give everything it had just to get there -- which would be ripe for a Knicks Game 1 win. And if it does turn out to be the Cavaliers despite their Game 6 issues, Cleveland would then be drained right before traveling to the Big Apple.