NBA Playoffs Round 1. (3) New York Knicks vs. (6) Detroit Pistons

[Sports_Freak]

20 hours ago, Deleterious said:

That was a good no call. 

I don't agree. Look at the way he chopped Hardaway's arm at the end. It was at least a foul, maybe a flagrant.

[Deleterious]

18 minutes ago, Sports_Freak said:

I don't agree. Look at the way he chopped Hardaway's arm at the end. It was at least a foul, maybe a flagrant.

100% not a flagrant and not even sure how anyone could think that.  Did he go at his head?  Not even close.  Did he undercut him in the air?  No, Hart never touched Hardaway's body.  Not even close to being a flagrant.

I replayed the video multiple times, and I'm still not sure if he even touched Hardaway's arm.  Even if he did, it was after the ball was in the cylinder and out of Hardaway's hand.  By definition, that is not a foul. 

Legal play, defender ‘high fives’ shooter’s empty hand after release, no foul

Quote

“This is an example of incidental contact that occurs after a shot has been released, and this contact would not be deemed to be a defensive foul. The defensive player, Robert Covington, makes incidental contact to the hand of the shooter, Donovan Mitchell, and this contact occurs after the ball has been released on the field goal attempt. Because the contact was incidental, and it occurred after the release of the shot, no foul would be assessed on this play.”

I also reject the idea it changed momentum.  This happened at the 3:09 mark in the third quarter, with Detroit ahead by 4 points, 80-76.  I posted that at around the 9-minute mark of the fourth quarter, Detroit was up 98-90.  So after the momentum changing no call, the Pistons increased their lead from 4 to 8?  In 6 minutes of game time? 

Even if it was 100% a foul, I don't want little BS things like that called.  Outside of maybe Houston, my team plays the most physical brand of defense in the entire league.  If you start calling little BS stuff like this, it's over for Detroit.  We need to be physical, push/pull/grab, to play our style of defense.  Calling crap like this would be a net negative for us.  It will either lead to us playing softer defense, which is bad.  Or our guys in constant foul trouble, which again is bad. 

This play had zero impact on the game.  It didn't lead to our shooters going ice-cold.  It didn't lead to all the dumb turnovers.  It didn't lead to us getting dog walked 21-0.  It didn't lead to the layup line in our restricted area.

[Deleterious]

They don't do a watch party at LCA?  I loved going down to The Palace for those.  I think they charged like $10 that went to some charity.  Maybe there is something going on at LCA tonight. 

[Deleterious]

He is talking about Naz Reid. 

They have no cap space to go after him.  They could move some contracts to do it.  But that would require them sending out draft picks for teams to eat salary.  Not sure if we are there yet.

Plus, he just isn't that good on defense.  You can get away with it next to Gobert.  But it would be ugly next to Duren.

 

[Deleterious]

 

[Betrayer]

Game 1 looked a lot like early this season when they were still learning to close out games. Yes, they blew the lead in the 4th and that sucks, but this is what you expect from a young team with no experience in the playoffs. You have to pay those dues and they're paying with house money in a season where everyone expected them to max out as a play-in team (if that).

Can they learn fast enough to win tonight and make it a series? It's a tall order, especially with Stew out. I predicted Knicks in 6, but without Stew that might even be asking too much. If he can't make it back for this series you might be looking at Knicks in 5 (we have to break that playoff drought!).

Curious to see how Duren responds. He had an awful first game and I kind of expected that because this is what happens to the Drummond archetype in the current NBA - opponents simply box-out in meaningful games and you don't get the easy slop you've been feasting on in the regular season. Without that, if you can't defend at a high level or shoot from outside what do you provide? I think this series will tell the Pistons a lot about what they should feel comfortable paying for him in the off-season.

[Deleterious]

Playoffs are about exploiting mismatches and adjustments.

We didn't make Brunson defend the PnR enough. Curious to see if they make the adjustments to make that happen more

On defense we have to stop the layup line. Losing Stewart is huge but there are still things they can do. Mix in some zone.

[Deleterious]

I wonder if Grant Hill will compare Cade to Grant Hill.

[Hart]

On 4/20/2025 at 8:20 AM, Deleterious said:

Duren deserves every bit of criticism he is receiving.  But that doesn't excuse the perimeter guys from the terrible job they did on defense.

Brunson was able to turn the corner and get downhill anytime he wanted.  The only reason he didn't go for 40+ is because of how bad he shot in the 1st half.  He missed a ton of easy/open looks in the first half.  He shot 4/15 in the first half.

It wasn't just in the PnR either.  Plenty of times he was just beating his man one on one.

And yet we continue to guard him with Ausar.  What a waste.  Thompson can't guard him and we lose the value of him wreaking havoc guarding guys he can defend.  

[Betrayer]

Offense is holding serve but the defense has got to improve. It’s been really bad to start this game. 

[Betrayer]

I know a lot of teams do it and Duren can’t guard the perimeter, but I really don’t like the Tobias on KAT matchup. 

[Deleterious]

2 minutes ago, Hart said:

And yet we continue to guard him with Ausar.  What a waste.  Thompson can't guard him and we lose the value of him wreaking havoc guarding guys he can defend.  

Who would you put on him?

You can't use Cade. He isn't a very good defender plus you don't want to tire him out or get him in foul trouble.

I don't know what the Knicks playoff record is for points in a game. But I know who would hold it if they put THJ on Brunson.

 

[Betrayer]

Too many mistakes already with blown layups. 

[Deleterious]

Cade looks much better.

[Deleterious]

I already hate Paul Reed

[Betrayer]

4 minutes ago, Deleterious said:

Who would you put on him?

You can't use Cade. He isn't a very good defender plus you don't want to tire him out or get him in foul trouble.

I don't know what the Knicks playoff record is for points in a game. But I know who would hold it if they put THJ on Brunson.

 

Exactly. This is Ausar’s role and he’s generally elite at it. I don’t mind throwing different looks at Brunson but Ausar gets the primary. 
 

If you want to try something crazy you could put Ausar on Hart so he can be the roamer rather than Duren, but then you have Cade or THJ on Brunson and Duren on KAT. Not sure that’s the answer. 

[Betrayer]

6 first quarter turnovers already. Rough. 

[Hart]

5 minutes ago, Deleterious said:

Who would you put on him?

You can't use Cade. He isn't a very good defender plus you don't want to tire him out or get him in foul trouble.

I don't know what the Knicks playoff record is for points in a game. But I know who would hold it if they put THJ on Brunson.

 

THJ.  Not a good option but the only reasonable option.  I agree about Cade.  Or if that is not acceptable to you, then you go small and bring Ausar or Harris off the bench.  

 

[Deleterious]

Up 7 at the end of the first. Pretty good for not playing very well.

[Betrayer]

A tough defensive start and a ton of turnovers yet you find yourself up by 7 after the first. Could’ve been a double digit lead easy. Knicks were 0-8 from three as well which won’t continue, so you gotta clean it up. 

[Hart]

1 minute ago, Betrayer said:

A tough defensive start and a ton of turnovers yet you find yourself up by 7 after the first. Could’ve been a double digit lead easy. Knicks were 0-8 from three as well which won’t continue, so you gotta clean it up. 

Yeah...I would guess more than half of that 0-8 was good looks.  But I don't want to undersell the Pistons defense too much either.  When they are focused, they do play good team defense.  

[Deleterious]

Area lot of guys slipping on the floor?

[Deleterious]

As much as I dislike Harris, it really isn't fair to ask him to guard Towns.

[Betrayer]

Reed taketh and Reed giveth away. 

[Deleterious]

I bet they have left 8-10 points off the board with dumb turnovers on the break.