The Knicks are not on the same level as the Pistons right now

The New York Knicks have prided themselves on being true and legitimate title contenders this season. While they have shown to be capable of dominating any team in front of them, there is a team that they can’t get by, and it must change before the playoffs.

The Knicks have a real Pistons problem

On Thursday, they got destroyed by the Detroit Pistons for the third and final time this season, losing at home 126-111. In the three matchups this season, New York has lost by an average margin of 28, and a total point differential of -84.

Similar to the first two games, the Knicks couldn’t buy a bucket on Thursday. They shot just 8-for-35 from three as a team, and struggled to get Karl-Anthony Towns involved in the first half, as he scored just two points and took only three shots before halftime.

The Knicks also couldn’t slow down Cade Cunningham, who has flat out crushed the Knicks in his career. On Thursday, he went off for 42 points, 13 assists, and eight rebounds. Cunningham scored at will all night, getting virtually whatever he wanted on the offensive end.

New York had a mostly healthy group this time around as well. Although they were without Miles McBride, the Pistons were without both of their centers Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart as a result of suspensions from the Feb. 9 brawl against the Charlotte Hornets.

Pistons have the Knicks figured out

Losing in the fashion that they did given those circumstances is unacceptable for a Knicks team that claims to be a true contender. The Knicks had this same problem last season, losing all of their games versus the top teams, and then turned it around in the playoffs.

However, it would be naive to assume that the same story will play out this year. The Pistons have shown that they are for real, and that they are out for revenge against a Knicks team that eliminated them from the playoffs last season.

New York has been unable to match the physicality of Detroit’s defense, and they can’t find a way to score around their defense either. Simply put, the Pistons have the Knicks figured out, and New York will need to fix their problems before the postseason, as they will likely have to go through Detroit if they expect to make the Finals.