The Knicks served as a spark for the impressive rise of the Pistons this season.
A year after ending with an NBA sausage 14 wins, the Pistons had 44-38 to mark one of the biggest changes in the history of the League.
What calculate the confidence that they could be a legitimate playoff contender?
“There were two games in my mind that stand out as a child or change the mood, which changed the beliefs,” said the coach of the Pistons, JB BickerStaff, on Thursday in Siriusxm NBA Radio with Frank isola and Brian Scalabrine. “One of them was in Madison Square Garden, where we played the Knicks and we could go out with a victory there. I felt that the boys began to believe that some of the best teams in this league come and defeated.”
The game that BickerStaff was referring was the 120-111 victory of the Pistons over the Knicks on December 7.
The loss of Knicks before the Pistons on December 7, 2024. Robert Sabo for NY Post
Corc Cunningham recorded 29 points, 15 assists and 10 rebounds for the Pistons, which ended 3-1 against the Knicks in the regular season.
Pistons on December 7, 2024. Robert Sabo for NY Post
Before that game, the Pistons had 9-15. But from that game, they get used to 35-23.
“We think,” if we can maintain this, continue building, keep improving, we have a chans, “said Bickerspoff.
Last year, while I was with the Nets, Mikal Bridges lost the playoffs for the first time in three years.
He has itching on his legs to return.
“I’m really excited to go,” Bridges said. “A free year feels so much time for not getting to the playoffs. I am also excited by the atmosphere. It will be a really good series.”
He is also the only player in the rotation of the Knicks that has reached the final, what he did while he was with the Suns in 2020-21.
Pj Tucker won a championship with the Bucks (beating the Bridges Suns), but it is not expected to play a lot, if he does, in the postseason.
Bridges has been sharing tips with his teammates.
“Everything starts with just one game at a time,” Bridges said. “You can’t look to the future. I think fans, you look a lot towards the future. Take a game at the same time. That’s what it is, just a game and play our best basketball, our best version for 48 minutes and go from there.”
