The 2025 playoffs are on the horizon with the 2024-25 regular season ending this week. In the Eastern Conference, the Cavs secured the #1 seed with a win on Tuesday night.
With a 50-29 record, the Knicks are currently third in the East. They have three games left in the regular season. In the first round of the 2025 postseason, New York will likely play the Pistons. TNT’s Shaquille O’Neal is confident that Detroit could beat New York in the first round of the playoffs.
Do the Pistons have a chance to beat the Knicks in the postseason?
Shaq has the Knicks losing to the Pistons in the first round 👀
(h/t @IQfor3 )
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) April 8, 2025
For the first time since the 2015-16 season, the Pistons will finish the year with a winning record. Additionally, they have clinched a playoff sport for the first time since 2018-19. The Pistons have tripled their win total from the 2023-24 season. With three games left in 2024-25, Detroit is 43-36. That is sixth in the East. If the playoffs started today, the Pistons would have a first-round matchup vs. Jalen Brunson and the Knicks.
On Thursday, April 10, the Pistons will be home to face the Knicks in their final regular season meeting. The season series between Detroit and New York is 1-1. On Tuesday’s edition of Inside the NBA on TNT, the crew was discussing the East playoffs. Four-time NBA champion Shaquille O’Neal had a hot take. He is confident that the Pistons could beat the Knicks in the first round of the playoffs.
That would be a tall task for Detroit who is still trying to build a winning culture. New York’s roster has more experience in the postseason compared to the Pistons. Detroit hasn’t been to the postseason since 2018-19. Regardless, the Pistons have flipped a switch this season and they look poised to make noise in the playoffs. According to odds via NBA sportsbook BetOnline, the Pistons are (+20000) to win the NBA Finals.
