ESPN Analyst Makes Controversial Knicks, Pistons Claim

Jalen Brunson reached postseason heights that matched Michael Jordan's, but one ESPN analyst believes that the New York Knicks captain and point guard won't match up to Cade Cunningham.

The backcourt stars are set to do postseason battle as the Knicks and Cunningham's Detroit Pistons will officially meet in the NBA playoffs' opening round.

Previewing the series on Friday's edition of "NBA Today," ESPN commentator David Dennis Jr. believes that Detroit will have the best player on the floor despite the presence of Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns.

"[The Knicks] are in a situation where as good as Brunson is, as great as Karl-Anthony Towns is, they will not have the best player on the court ... The best player on the court is going to be Cade Cunningham," Dennis said, calling the series a "nightmare scenario" for the Knicks. "Thirty-point average over the season, but that's not even including the 30-point blowout that they had in the last three games. He averaged about 35 points.

"The best player on the court is going to be Cade Cunningham." 😳 @DavidDTSS says the Knicks won't have the best player on the court in a playoff series against the Pistons 👀 pic.twitter.com/0XKuNdKyc2
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) April 11, 2025

"This dude knows how to get to his spot against those Knicks. He is just so many problems for that Knicks team."

Cunningham, the top pick of the 2021 draft, is the undeniable face of the current Pistons franchise and has been one of the primary contributors to the redemption campaign that has seen them more than triple their 14-win total from the year before.

Setting career-bests in scoring (26.1), assists (9.1) and rebounds (6.1), Cunningham is said to be a prime contender for the Association's Most Improved Player Award. He has earned three consecutive games with at least 35 points, including a 36-point, eight-assist showing on Thursday against a shorthanded Knicks team.

While there are no doubt metropolitan concerns around a duel with Detroit (which won the four-game season series against the Knicks by a 3-1 final), denying Brunson his postseason props is a dangerous exercise.

Brunson put forth several sterling postseason efforts in the Knicks' 13-game trip last spring, averaging 32.4 points and 7.5 assists. Towns is likewise coming off a strong postseason, leading the Minnesota Timberwolves to a long-sought appearance in the Western Conference Finals last spring.

Cunningham, on the other hand, is making his first postseason appearance as the Pistons are back in the playoffs for the first time since 2019.

The Knicks undoubtedly have several postseason hurdles to clear before they gain a better perception among the national critics. What Brunson has done in his prior playoff trips with New York, however, can't be denied and should only serve as motivation in a fateful tour.

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