The New York Knicks were defeated 115-106 on the road against the Detroit Pistons last night. Point Guard Cade Cunningham had his way with New York’s defense. He finished with 36 points and 8 assists. The point guard matchup between Cunningham and New York’s Jalen Brunson was a headline from the season series. Detroit won the season series 3-1.
Cunningham averaged 30.8 points and 8.3 assists this season against New York. Brunson averaged 28.3 points and 7.8 assists. Brunson finished last night’s game with a measly 15 points. The issue for the New York Knicks last night was a poor defensive performance. They allowed Detroit to shoot 57.3% from the field and 36.4% from three-point range. Will the New York Knicks ever be able to beat a top-flight team?
New York Knicks Season Summary
The Knicks are the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference with a 50-30 record. They need another win this season, or Indiana Pacers loss, to lock up the No. 3 seed. Detroit is the No. 6 seed and is virtually locked into that position. They trail the Milwaukee Bucks by 2 games in the standings and play them in back-to-back games to end the season. If the playoffs were to start today, the New York Knicks would face the Detroit Pistons in the opening round.
New York has been paced by its offense this year. They are 10th in points scored, fourth in field goal percentage, and ninth in three-point percentage. The team’s defense, as was on display last night against the Pistons, has been weak. They are ninth in points allowed, 23rd in opposing field goal percentage, and 26th in opposing three-point percentage.
Another issue for the Knicks this season has been their performances against top teams. They are 0-9 this year against the Boston Celtics, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Oklahoma City Thunder. New York is also 1-3 against the Pistons and 2-1 against the Pacers. A lack of success against top squads could be problematic for the team in the NBA Playoffs.
Final Thoughts
New York returns to the court tonight at home against the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Knicks have one final opportunity to gain momentum in the regular season by knocking off a title contender. New York finishes up the regular season by visiting the Brooklyn Nets. The Knicks have NBA title aspirations. To realize those aspirations, they must turn around their fates against top squads.
