NBA Legend Expresses Disappointment in Pistons vs Knicks

NBA legend Charles Barkley expected more out of the Detroit Pistons in Game 3 against the New York Knicks.

Apr 24, 2025; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (2) during player introductions before the game against the New York Knicks uring game three of first round for the 2024 NBA Playoffs at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

Thursday’s game between the Detroit Pistons and the New York Knicks had the makings of something special. For the first time since 2019, the Pistons were hosting playoff basketball. They were coming off a Game 2 win on the road at Madison Square Garden, taking homecourt advantage as the lower seed.

Even with the crowd on their side, the Pistons didn’t look like the team that had more fire at the start of Game 3. As a result, NBA legend Charles Barkley was left disappointed.

“I was disappointed in Detroit tonight, to be honest with you,” Barkley said after the game. “Give the Knicks some credit, they played, but when you get a split and you come home, you have to play like Game 3 is a must-win.”

New York brought a fast-paced flow to start the game on Thursday and made enough shots to keep the crowd tame. On the other side, the Pistons couldn’t buy a bucket unless it was Tim Hardaway Jr shooting the ball early on. Eventually, others like Cade Cunningham and Dennis Schroder settled in and ate into the Knicks’ double-digit lead, but it was clear that one team had a slight edge.

“You have to say, ‘We’re not giving homecourt away. We’re going to get our crowd involved and we’re going to win Game 3.’ Now, the pressure is back on the Pistons again,” Barkley continued.

“When you get homecourt and play the first home game, you got to win that game. You got to win that game! And they didn’t come out—the Knicks had a good lead halfway through the first quarter—you have to play with a sense of desperation in that situation, in my opinion.”

Hardaway, one of the Pistons’ few players with playoff experience, sensed his team’s over-excitement likley played a part in the slow start. The All-Star Cade Cunningham believed that the early issues, such as missed shots and turnovers, set a negative tone that they didn’t fully recover from, despite competing hard enough to make it a one-possession game in the end.

If Game 3 wasn’t treated as a desperate situation for Detroit, Game 4 will have to be. History says that falling to 1-3 and still winning a series is too tall of a task for most teams. With the away and now home debuts in the bag, the Pistons have to settle in and find a way to even the series 2-2 to make sure they come back to Detroit for a Game 6.