Knicks Have Angst Going Into Playoffs vs. Pistons

The New York Knicks haven't been playing their best basketball as of late, and that could be a concern as they head into their playoff series against the Detroit Pistons.

The Athletic insider James Edwards III explains why the team has a cloudy vibe in its surroundings going into the postseason.

"The expectation was that this team would be mentioned among the league’s best, but New York went 0-10 against the Boston Celtics, Cleveland Cavaliers and Oklahoma City Thunder. That’s why there is some angst going into the postseason," Edwards writes.

"To take it one step further, when you take out the three opponents above, the Knicks were just 15-13 against teams that finished this season with a winning record — including 1-3 vs. Detroit. I know people like to dismiss the regular season, but an 82-game schedule tells a story. Maybe this is just what New York is — a good, talented team with significant flaws as a collective. Maybe there still is a higher level it can get to. We’re about to find out."

"New York is going into the postseason healthy, so that’s good. But the Knicks ended the season playing nowhere near their best basketball, which was the main objective all season long."

The Knicks will have a chance to use this series against the Pistons as a potential warm-up for the gauntlet ahead, but Detroit is not a team to take lightly.

Despite winning just 14 games a year ago, the Pistons have rebranded themselves as one of the league's most physical teams, a far cry from where they have been over the last 15-plus years.

The Knicks need to play their best basketball against the Pistons, otherwise they may not even get a shot at redemption against the top teams in the league.