3-Time NBA Champ’s Bold Pistons-Knicks Take Sparks Fan Reactions

Despite being the third seed in the Eastern Conference, the New York Knicks haven’t gained a lot of support from outsiders. Instead of being viewed as championship contenders, analysts and fans are considering a potential first-round upset for the Knicks, courtesy of the Detroit Pistons.

Miami Heat legend Udonis Haslem is in that party. During a recent appearance on ESPN, Haslem made a bold statement regarding the Knicks’ chances of getting past the first round if they draw a seven-game series against a young Detroit team.

“I like those Thundercats out of Detroit,” said the former Heat veteran. “I’m looking at that matchup, and they are sharpening their swords, and they are ready for this matchup.

“They are excited about this matchup. Cade Cunningham, Malik Beasley—those guys are ready for this matchup—Jalen Brunson coming in or not. [Brunson’s] ankle is not going to be ready until the summertime. We all know that. He is not going to be healthy. I’m looking at Detroit, and I’m saying this could be a first-round exit for New York.”

"A long, tough competitive series in which you lose is as far as this season is going [for the Knicks]." 😳 @LegsESPN and @ThisIsUD share their thoughts about the Knicks' playoff ceiling 👀 pic.twitter.com/pgtHEYlfYy
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) March 18, 2025

Being around the NBA since 2002, Haslem was in Miami long enough to witness three NBA Championships. He played in nearly 150 playoff games throughout his career.

With an eye for the moment, Haslem’s opinion holds weight in this case. As he sees a Knicks team that’s struggled to gel consistently while also facing uncertainty regarding the injured Jalen Brunson, Haslem believes the Pistons are a bad matchup for New York in round one.

@david_kenah: Which is the same as every other Thibs team for the last 15 years.

@MikeyCoinSnatch: Noted 📝

@allenpaul102: Detroit has some young guns, it wouldn’t surprise me if they win in 6-7 games.

@chesterfield914: Lmao this is great. Knicks will smoke the pistons in playoff basketball. Then these same guys will say if they play like that they can give the celtics issues.

@missmet77: If Detroit is chomping at the bit for the Knicks, then bring it. Be careful what you ask for 🤷‍♀️

The Eastern Conference playoff picture isn’t set just yet. If the season ended on Wednesday, the Pistons and the Knicks would go toe-to-toe in round one, with New York getting home court. However, the Pistons share the same amount of wins as the Indiana Pacers and the Milwaukee Bucks. Trailing just one game, the Pistons could move into the fourth or fifth seed as early as the end of the week.

Every team ahead of Detroit, including the Knicks, has the advantage of being a team with seasoned stars in the playoffs. Detroit’s young squad, headlined by Cade Cunningham, will have a lot of playoff debuts taking place in April. Some might even think that could play in Detroit’s favor as they are a young team that could take advantage of being overlooked due to their youth.

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