Knicks vs Pistons G3 Preview: After 17 Years! Can Cunningham lead the team to two straight playoff wins?

At 7 a.m. Beijing time on April 25, the Knicks played away against the Pistons, and the first two games were tied 1-1. If the Knicks want to regain home-court advantage, they will need to provide more offensive support for Brunson.

In the G2 game, the Pistons won 100-94 to tie the overall score. They defended against Brunson and took advantage of Downs' poor form. Towns scored 23 points on 10-of-14 shooting in G1, but he scored only 10 points in G2, making only three shots in the second half and not shooting a single shot in the fourth quarter.

Knicks head coach Thibodeau said he wasn't too worried about Towns' lack of offense in the second half. 'If they send two or three guys to cover him, I don't want him to force his shot, but he has something he can do and we have a way to get him a second or third shot, so that's what we have to try to do. We also had a way to find him in the transition attack. ”

Brunson scored a game-high 37 points in Game 2 and made one-third of his team's 81 shots. After the game, he said he needed to do a better job of getting his team-mates more involved in the attack. The Knicks had just 15 assists in a game, their lowest number of assists per game this season.

Thibodeau said the team's focus has been on rebounding for the past two days. The Pistons held a 48-34 rebounding advantage, including 12 offensive rebounds that translated into 13 points on secondary offense.

"We have to be determined to do it well," Thibodeau said, "and every game teaches you something. You have to learn from it and make adjustments. ”

Downs played 33 minutes in G2 and grabbed just six rebounds. He said the team will focus on rebounding in G3 games.

"I watched the footage [of the second show] myself and we had two days to work it out and prepare myself mentally and physically for the next one." Downs said.

After the loss, Thibodeau raised concerns that he believed the referee's decision was biased in favor of the Pistons. Pistons head coach Bickerstaff has a different view.

"We're happy with the way the game was decided," Bickerstaff said, "and we're able to adapt to the intense physical. So we don't have a problem with that. When you compare the players of both teams who have been in possession most of the time, their players (Brunson) lead the league in free throws. Cade (Cunningham) is currently in ninth place. ”

Bickerstaff was asked if he thought the referees were more lenient in the playoffs. "If I told you the truth, I might get in trouble," he said, "but no, the physical intensity of the playoffs is just a little bit higher, and it's always been like that." Then again, only those teams that can adapt to this intensity will win the game in the end, and I think our players did a good job of staying calm. We haven't changed the way we play. ”

The Pistons have ended their embarrassing 15-game playoff losing streak and are now aiming for their first two-game winning streak in 17 years, the last time the Pistons won in the playoffs was in 2008.

Bickerstaff said they could continue to be without Stewart, whose playing form is being evaluated daily due to knee inflammation.

The Pistons were reversed from an eight-point lead in the fourth quarter of G1 and managed to avoid being overturned again late in the game in G2. The Knicks did everything they could to keep Cunningham from receiving the ball, which made them relax their defense against Schroder. With 55 seconds left in the game, Schroder hit a three-pointer in the open space to seal the win for the Pistons.

Cunningham scored 33 points in G2 and was forced to play more time due to Stewart's absence, where he finished with 12 points, 13 rebounds, two assists, three blocks and one steal. Duren said that G3's goal is to continue to drain the Knicks' physical strength and frustrate them. "Our goal is to keep doing what we've been doing and play the Pistons style of basketball," Duren said, "which is to play every night with all our might." Full of physical confrontation, tenacity, going to the game with a sense of urgency and courage. ”

List of injuries and illnesses

Knicks: All players are available

Pistons: Ivey is out, Stewart is doubtful

ESPN Predicted Win Rate:Knicks 52.9%, Pistons 47.1%