The New York Knicks completed a strong come-from-behind win against the Houston Rockets. They demonstrated serious grit, which was in question in previous losses. Additionally, Karl-Anthony Towns and Jalen Brunson both played incredibly well—something that would have been expected on a regular basis entering the season, and yet something that hasn't been seen nearly enough. But while the win should inspire optimism, there is reason for pause, the Detroit Pistons.
New York played a great fourth quarter in their recent win against Houston. They closed the game on a 33-13 run, which included 18 points from Brunson. The Knicks also held the Rockets to 28% shooting in the final 10 or so minutes of the game. And their defense, led by new addition Jose Alvarado, forced numerous turnovers down the stretch.
The Knicks have played well against more top teams than just the Rockets. The Knicks have fared incredibly well against most of the league's top competition this season. They are now 1-0 against Houston, 2-1 against the Boston Celtics, 2-0 against the Cleveland Cavaliers, 1-0 against the Denver Nuggets, 1-0 against the Los Angeles Lakers, and 1-1 against the San Antonio Spurs.
However, they have struggled mightily against the Pistons, a team they will likely see come the 2026 playoffs. In fact, New York is 0-3 on the season against Detroit, with their next matchup (very) loosely slated for the post-season.
Are the Pistons too tough for Knicks?
The Pistons present entirely different problems for the Knicks than other elite teams. First, their physicality is a lot to contend with. Detroit boasts the NBA's second-best defensive rating (108.3). Their size down low is daunting. Jalen Duren is eighth in the league in rebounds (10.5 per game), and Isaiah Stewart is sixth in blocks (1.2 per game). Ironically, neither Duren nor Stewart was available for the Pistons' most recent win over the Knicks on Feb. 19.
The Pistons also push the limits of physicality and officiating. They lead the league in fouls per game (22.3), according to StatMuse. And why not? When your team is built like Detroit's, the only harm in fouling is landing in the penalty. Granted, that's not ideal. But the cumulative effect of fouling results in a bump in reputation that makes teams think twice about how they attack open lanes.
The Pistons perimeter defenders are also exceptionally strong. Cade Cunningham and Ausar Thomson are two of the best at locking down opposing perimeter players. And both are physical enough to contend with bigger wings in the post and around the basket, as well.
It's become clear that New York can't match Detroit's toughness while remaining focused and locked in.
Can Knicks offense muster enough consistently to topple Detroit Pistons?
If the Pistons are the more physical team, which they are, the Knicks must emphasize their own strength, finesse. That's exactly how New York defeated Detroit in the first-round of the 2025 NBA Playoffs. Brunson led the way. And for all of the Pistons' defensive abilities, they simply didn't have an answer for Brunson when he's in his zone and protecting the basketball.
In the 2025 playoffs, Brunson averaged 31.5 points and 8.2 assists per game. His footwork and trickiness was on full display, which included a series-clinching shot. If the Knicks are going to succeed against the Pistons, Brunson has to get back to that kind of play.
In the 2025-26 regular season, Brunson scored the ball fairly well, averaging 29.7 points per game. But he also turned the ball over. A lot. Brunson averaged five turnovers per game against the Pistons in their regular season series, compared to just 2.6 turnovers per game in the first round last season—and 2.3 turnovers per game this season on the entire season (so far).
The Knicks support players also have to do more. Towns and OG Anunoby missed the second of three games this season with the Pistons. But when they played, they didn't do nearly enough. Towns averaged 13.5 points across the two games, and Anunoby averaged 6.5 points per game.
Granted, there are more failures to highlight—like how the Knicks got crushed on the glass—but the simple fact is that the Knicks are unlikely to do well when their second- and third-leading scorers combine for an average of 20 points per game.
Fortunately, the Knicks have time to digest their recent losses against the Pistons and lick their wounds. New York has 25 games remaining before the playoffs, and they're unlikely to have a first-round rematch with Detroit. That matchup is likely to come later in the playoffs. So, the Knicks have some time to figure out exactly how to approach the Pistons. But one thing's for sure, they have their work cut out for them.
