The Pistons badly exposed a duration of the weakness of the Knicks the regular season, and has not even marked one of their own strengths.
In four regular seasonal games against the Pistons-In, the Knicks had 1-3, including the loss of the last three clashes in Detroit inclined them from the 3-point range.
The Pistons fired 32.4, 50.0, 44.1 and 36.4 percent from behind the arch in those four games, respectively. Combined, the Pistons were 52 of 126 of 3-Good for 41.3 percent stellar.
For the context, Bucks led the NBA in a percentage of 3 points in the regular season with a 38.7 percent mark.
“[Tim] Harda [Jr.] It is a 3 -point shooter. [Malik] Beasley had a monster year of 3. [Cade] Cunningham can shoot it, “said the Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau, after practice on Wednesday.” You look at it, you study it and you have to prepare for what faces below. ”
The terrifying part for the Knicks is that the Pistons are not even really known for their 3 -point skill.
As a team, they fired 36.2 percent from 3 shifts of the regular season, 17 in the NBA. They took 35.4 3s per game – 22 in the League.
But the Knicks fought to protect the 3 during the year, a large part of the reason why they went back so dramatically in defense last year. However, it came with a strange dichotomy.
The opponents fired 36.7 percent from Deep Against The Knicks in the regular season, the fifth highest brand in the League and a worse place than the Pistons with 36.6 percent. But the opponents of Knicks Tok only 35.7 3s and made 13.1 of them per game, fifth and tenth at the NBA.
Then, the Knicks do not renounce many attempts of 3 points, but when they do, the opponents hit them at a high pace.
“Improvement of communication,” said Og Anunoby on Wednesday on how to solve that problem. “Close better, try to limit more 3s.”
The Knicks will have their hands full trying to contain Cunningham, who dominated them in the four regular season clashes.
On April 10, 2025. NBAE through Getty Images
And all that attention to him will probably create opportunities for the secondary scorers of the Pistons to obtain open and potentially hurt the Knicks.
It is likely to have the greatest impact on Beasley.
He averaged 16.3 points per game and fired the best 41.6 percent from the range of 3 points. Its total fact 3 was the second most in the League. That included an elite brand of 48.8 percent against the Knicks.
The loss of the Knicks before the Pistons on April 10, 2025. NBAE through Getty Images
Beasley thrives as a capture and a perimeter shooter, an ideal adjustment to delight double teams in Cunningham.
And Cunningham helped 102 of Beasley’s total of 461 made field goals in the regular season, for NBA.com follow -up statistics.
“He is always able to shoot,” Karl-Anthony Towns, Beasley’s teammate with the Timberwolves, on Tuesday, on Tuesday. “I’ve seen him first hand. When I was with us in Minnesota, I think he broke the 3 -point score record and Anthony [Edwards] I just break it now. I have always known that it is a tremendous shooter, one of the best shooters that this league has to offer.
“And the way he shoots, the different types of 3s he shoots, only demonstrates the level of taleel. Obviously, it is a hard guard. We have some that I know well, we definitely have to find a way to limit its 3s.”
Apart from Beasley, Hardaway and Tobias Harris are able to hurt the Knicks from the depths. They fired 36.8 percent and 34.5 percent of 3, respectively.
“We are going to try to review everyone,” Anunoby said. “They are a team full of big players. Malik can really shoot. Tim can really shoot. Tobias is a great player. [Jalen] He is a great player. They have a great team. “
Harris in particular brings a lot of experience in playoffs, after having played 61 postseason games.
“He is always a really good player,” said Josh Hart. “You can shoot the ball, you can put it on the floor and you can play in the post. Then, it is a difficult confrontation and make quick decisions. When it is open, shoot, when it is guarded, it makes a play. We know how good it is.