New York Knicks vs Detroit Pistons

After missing a chance to put the Detroit Pistons away inside MSG, New York must now return to a raucous Little Caesars Arena, with the Motown crowd still fuming over the botched foul call at the conclusion of Game 4.

The Knicks lacked urgency and aggression in Tuesday's home loss and cannot afford to play quietly on Thursday. I anticipate New York to come out fighting for that knockout strike.
The New York Knicks do not seem like the club that placed fifth in advanced offensive rating during the regular season (117.3).

Although the Knicks' scoring production was projected to decrease in the playoffs, it has dropped to 109.2 in five games versus the Detroit Pistons.

In this series, New York has delivered strong offensive performances, scoring 118 and 123 points in two games, but struggled to reach 100 points in the other three. In Game 5, the Knicks managed only 103 points on 43% shooting at home. Detroit’s defense played a role, but other issues dulled New York’s attack.

Notably, Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart saw limited action in the fourth quarter, playing roughly five minutes and contributing just three points and two assists combined. Even before their reduced minutes, the Knicks lacked offensive urgency.

Detroit’s shooting improved in the second half, hitting 47.4% in the fourth after a 39% first half. This forced New York to start possessions from inbounds, often walking the ball up and eating shot clock time before attacking.

The Knicks must tighten their defense in key moments but also avoid wasting time that lets Detroit reset defensively. Pushing the pace could keep the Pistons’ defense off balance, a tactic New York recognizes.

“We need to defend better and get stops,” Josh Hart said post-Game 5. “That lets us run. Taking the ball out of the net slows us down and lets them set up. We have to secure stops, rebound, and get out in transition.”

During the regular season, New York’s transition offense was elite, ranking second league-wide (1.18 points per play). Yet, in five playoff games, they’ve dropped to second-worst among playoff teams (0.97 ppp) in transition.

After missing a chance to close out Detroit in Game 5, New York faces pressure to play faster in Game 6. I expect them to bring more energy, leading to quicker attacks and more free-throw opportunities.

The Knicks also faltered at the free-throw line in Game 5, hitting only 16 of 27 attempts. They typically shoot 80% for the season and were at 82% in the series prior to Tuesday. At their usual rate, they could have added five or six points.

New York’s team total opened at 114.5 Over/Under in Game 1, then dipped to 107.5 and 108.5 in Detroit. After falling short of 110.5 O/U at home in Game 5, oddsmakers set the Game 6 total at 105.5 O/U in Detroit.

Detroit scored 106 points in Game 5 at Madison Square Garden, setting a benchmark New York likely needs to surpass to win on the road. With faster play and better free-throw shooting, I see the Knicks exceeding their team total in Game 6.