The New York Knicks will face the Detroit Pistons in the first round of the 2025 NBA playoffs. The Pistons are in the postseason for the first time since 2019.
Game 1 between the Knicks and Pistons is on Saturday at Madison Square Garden. Detroit went 3-1 against New York in the regular season.
The Knicks made a blockbuster trade in October, acquiring All-Star big man Karl-Anthony Towns from the Minnesota Timberwolves. Towns was stunned by the trade, but he didn't let the move affect his play on the court. The Kentucky product averaged 24.4 points and 12.8 rebounds in the regular season and made his fifth All-Star team.
Towns and Pistons shooting guard Malik Beasley used to be teammates in Minnesota. Beasley saw firsthand how talented Towns is, but the sharpshooter doesn't seem worried about the center.
Some Pistons players talk trash, while some also play very physically.
Two of their players, Isaiah Stewart and Ron Holland, got into multiple fights this season.
Knicks center Mitchell Robinson knows what the Pistons bring to the table, so much so that he admitted to reporters that the series against Detroit is going to be "dirty."
New York won 51 games in the regular season. The franchise is looking to get to the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999.
The Pistons are the underdog in this series, but you can bet their players love that.
Beasley and Towns will be seeing a lot of each other starting Saturday. It will be fascinating to watch their interactions.
