As Golden State Warriors veteran Draymond Green enters the playoff as an underdog in the Western Conference, he's warning New York Knicks All-Star Karl-Anthony Towns of their series against the underdog Detroit Pistons. Towns will have his hands full with Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart defending him, which Green was quick to point out.

Green also mentioned Pistons All-Star Cade Cunningham's impact coupled with Detroit's defense in the frontcourt, per The Draymond Green Show with Baron Davis.

“They got a level of physicality that they come with and then Cade is an incredible player. I think the Pistons can give the Knicks problems in this series,” Green said. “I don’t think this is a cakewalk. Stew and Jalen Duren, they’re going to rough Karl-Anthony Towns up. Karl-Anthony Towns has got to bring his hard hat to this match-up because those two guys are going to try to rough him up.”

Davis, Green's co-host, says the Pistons are going to force Towns to foul out.

“But they’re going to take those fouls and they want to try and make him quit,” Green added. “That’s going to be their mentality is to try to make him quit.”

Stephen A Smith predicts Knicks-Celtics series

Knicks Karl-Anthony Towns (32) celebrates with teammates after the game against the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center
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Amid making first-round playoff series predictions, ESPN's Stephen A Smith says Knicks and Celtics will meet in the Eastern Conference semifinals, but that the Knicks would beat the Pistons in a seven-game series.

Smith says the Knicks will play in two seven-game series in the opening rounds of the playoffs, per

“I think the Knicks are going to play 14 playoff games this postseason,” Smith said. “It’s going to take them seven to take out Detroit. Then, they’re going to push the Boston Celtics to seven games. I can pray. Now, here’s the sad part: I have no basketball reason whatsoever to believe that they’re going to push the Boston Celtics to seven games. I just don’t see it.”

For Smith, the Celtics are too much for the Knicks.

“Jaylen Brown, he’s going to get shots in his knee, or whatever, that’s what they’ve been reporting; his health might be compromised. That could potentially help the Knicks,” Smith added. “The Knicks don’t have the help. Jalen Brunson was out. So, because he was out for more than a month, that’s some rest right there. And Jalen Brunson’s going to show up. Karl-Anthony Towns can put up some buckets. OG Anunoby, I mean, he’s elevated his offensive repertoire, and we know what he can do defensively.”

The Knicks will host the Pistons in Game 1 on Saturday.