Knicks At the All-Star Break

The New York Knicks entered the All-Star break in third place in the Eastern Conference with a record of 35-20, a half game behind the Boston Celtics and six games behind the Detroit Pistons. They are 10-2 over their last 12 games; the two losses coming at the hands of the Pistons and the Indiana Pacers. 

During this recent stretch, the Knicks have beaten the Philadelphia 76ers (twice), the Toronto Raptors, the Los Angeles Lakers, the Denver Nuggets and the Celtics - all playoff teams. They've allowed an average of 101 points per game while scoring an average of 118.5 points per game. Their defensive rating of 102.9 and offensive rating of 120.7 are tops in the league. They won the NBA Cup in December, and are widely viewed as the deepest and most talented team in the East.

And yet even with all that, their toughest opponent remains the Pistons. In the two losses against Detroit, New York was outscored 239 to 170. That's a difference of 69 points, making Thursday night's game at the Garden as close to a must win as the Knicks will have this season.

Leon Rose has done a masterful job assembling this roster. His acquisition of Jose Alvarado at the trade deadline and the signing of Jeremy Sochan a few days later has made the Knicks a formidable contender; one that, in my opinion, is capable of beating almost any team in their conference; emphasis on almost. 

Let me be clear: these Pistons are not the Celtics of last season. That team lived, and eventually died, with the three pointer. This Detroit team doesn't beat you from the perimeter; they beat you in the paint. They're about as subtle as a bull in a china shop. To quote from my last piece, "It's no secret that they are the most penalized team in the NBA; when they foul you, you know you've been fouled." They didn't just beat the Knicks; they mauled them.

Which is why it's essential that the Knicks win this game. If nothing else, they need to prove to themselves that this Pistons team is beatable; that they're not the second coming of that infamous Bad Boys team of the late '80s and early '90s. Waiting until the Eastern Conference finals to do it could prove fatal to their championship aspirations.

There's another reason why this game is so essential for the Knicks to win. They need to plant a seed of doubt into the collective conscience of a Pistons team that, ever since they lost to them in the playoffs last season, has been chomping at the bit to get even. They and their fans have been running their mouths all season long. It would be nice to shut those mouths, if only for a couple of days.

And finally, there are the standings to consider. While New York currently sits in third place, they are only one game ahead of the Cleveland Cavaliers. Like the Knicks, the Cavs have been hot, winning nine of their last ten games. Should the Knicks finish the regular season in fourth place, they would face the Pistons in the second round. But if they finish in second or third place, their likely opponent in the second round would be the Celtics. If I were the Knicks, I'd much rather face Detroit in the conference finals than in the second round. 

Look, can the Knicks still beat the Pistons in the playoffs if they lose to them Thursday night? Yes, but it will be a lot more difficult. 

Nick Saban once said that success can become "addictive." The same is true for failure.