The Detroit Pistons and New York Knicks played last night in what could be a preview of the first round of the NBA playoffs. 
JB Bickerstaff made it clear his team was out to win and wanted to send a “message” to the Knicks, which they certainly did.
After a slow start, the Pistons eventually took over the game in the 4th quarter behind timely defense and a monster night from Cade Cunningham, who finished with a game-high 36 points and eight assists.
Cunningham has been dominant against New York this season, and if I am Tom Thibodeau and the Knicks, I have to be slightly concerned about what this means for the playoffs.
Cade Cunningham vs. The New York Knicks
The Knicks are clinging to a one-game lead over the Pacers, and the Pistons are two games behind the Bucks with two games remaining against Milwaukee to finish the season, so the current standings are far from set in stone.
If the Bucks win either game against Detroit, the Pistons would be locked into the 6th seed, which would currently mean playing the Knicks, but if the Knicks get overtaken by the Pacers, Detroit could end up with Indiana, a first-round matchup that my mental health would rather they avoid.
But the matchup the Knicks may be trying to avoid is Detroit, as the Pistons are 3-1 against the Knicks this season, while the Pacers are 1-2 and the Bucks have lost all three games against New York.
And it’s not just that the Pistons have beaten the Knicks three out of four games, it’s that New York has had no answer for Cade, who got wherever he wanted on the floor last night. Even his misses were mostly good looks.
Of course, the Knicks were without both OG Anunoby and Josh Hart last night, two guys who will undoubtedly be defending Cade at times in the playoffs, but Cunningham has been doing this to them all season, even when they were at full strength.
Cunningham has averaged 30.8 points, 8.3 assists and five rebounds against the Knicks in four games this season while shooting over 56 percent from the floor and 52 percent from long range.
I think we know who Cade wants to see in the first round.
All season NBA analysts have been talking about the possibility of a Knicks vs. Celtics second-round war that seemed like a given at various points but is now far from it.
That’s why it will be interesting to see what the Knicks do in these last two games, as they may like their chances against the Bucks, who they have beaten three times this season.
It’s going to be a wild finish in the Eastern Conference.
