The New York Knicks made a strong comeback against the Houston Rockets and won. He displayed serious composure, which was in question in the previous defeat. Additionally, Karl-Anthony Towns and Jalen Brunson both played incredibly well – something that could have been expected on a regular basis early in the season, and yet something that hasn't been seen nearly enough. But while the win should inspire optimism, the reason for the pause is the Detroit Pistons.
New York played a great fourth quarter in its recent win against Houston. They finished the game on a 33–13 run, which included Brunson's 18 points. The Knicks also held the Rockets to 28% shooting in the final 10 minutes of the game. And their defense, led by new addition Jose Alvarado, forced several changes.
The Knicks have played well against more top teams than the Rockets. The Knicks have performed incredibly well against most of the league's top competition this season. They are now 1-0 against Houston, 2-1 against Boston Celtics, 2-0 against Cleveland Cavaliers, 1-0 against Denver Nuggets, 1-0 against Los Angeles Lakers and 1-1 against San Antonio Spurs.
However, they have struggled mightily against the Pistons, a team they will likely see in the 2026 playoffs. In fact, New York is 0-3 against Detroit on the season, and their next matchup is scheduled for (much) later in the season.
Are the Pistons too tough for the Knicks?
The Pistons present completely different problems for the Knicks than other elite teams. First of all, there is their physicality Very To struggle. Detroit boasts the NBA's second-best defensive rating (108.3). His size is challenging on the downside. 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 were available for the Pistons' most recent win over the Knicks on February 19.
Pistons also push the limits of materiality and efficiency. According to Statmuse, he leads the league in fouls per game (22.3). And why not? When your team is built like Detroit, the only disadvantage in fouling is a penalty. Agreed, this is not ideal. But the cumulative effect of fouling results in a reputation bump that forces teams to think twice about how they attack open lanes.
The piston perimeter protectors are also exceptionally strong. Cade Cunningham and Auser Thomson are two of the best at blocking opposing perimeter players. And both are physical enough to compete with bigger wings in the post and around the basket.
It became clear that New York couldn't match Detroit's toughness while remaining focused and locked down.
Can the Knicks offense be consistent enough to take down the Detroit Pistons?
If the Pistons are a more physical team, which they are, the Knicks should emphasize their strength, finesse, and finesse. This is how New York defeated Detroit in the first round of the 2025 NBA Playoffs. Brunson took the lead. And for all the Pistons' defensive abilities, they had no answer for Brunson when he was in his own zone and protecting the basketball.
In the 2025 playoffs, Brunson averaged 31.5 points and 8.2 assists per game. His footwork and finesse were on full display, including a series-clinching shot. If the Knicks are to be successful against the Pistons, Brunson will need to get back to that kind of game.
In the 2025–26 regular season, Brunson scored the ball very well, averaging 29.7 points per game. But he also turned the ball over. Very. Brunson averaged five turnovers per game in their regular season series against the Pistons, compared to just 2.6 turnovers per game in last season's first round – and 2.3 turnovers per game the entire season (so far) this season.
Knicks supporters also need to do more. Towns and OG Anunoby missed the second of three games with the Pistons this season. But when he played he did not perform well enough. Towns averaged 13.5 points over the two games, and Anunoby averaged 6.5 points per game.
Granted, there are more failings to highlight – like how the Knicks crushed on the glass – but the simple fact is that when their second- and third-leading scorers add up to an average of 20 points per game, the Knicks are unlikely to perform well.
Fortunately, the Knicks have time to digest their recent loss against the Pistons and lick their wounds. New York has 25 games remaining before the playoffs, and their first-round rematch with Detroit is unlikely. That matchup will likely come later in the playoffs. So, the Knicks have some time to figure out how to approach the Pistons. But one thing is for sure, he has his work cut out for him.
