Analyzing Knicks' potential first-round matchups for 2025 NBA playoffs

With the NBA playoffs Merely one month away, the Knicks find themselves firmly in the third seed in the Eastern Conference, 4.5 Matches behind the Celtics for second and 5.0 Matches ahead of the Bucks in Number four.

There’s plenty of uncertainty as to how they close out the season without Jalen Brunson, but barring an unforeseen disaster, they’re highly likely to end up matched up with the Bucks, Pacers, or Pistons in the Primary Stage. 

Let’s Plunge into Every of these potential opponents and see how they stack up against New York…

Bucks

The Bucks have failed to recapture their bonafide contender status since Successful the 2021 NBA Finals, Regardless of their blockbuster trade for Damian Lillard — but their deadline deals for Kyle Kuzma, Kevin Porter Jr. and Ex Knick Jericho Sims have given them a top-five Protection since Prompt February and a 10-6 Landmark over that span.

They also boast the Yet-dominant Giannis Antetokounmpo, who’s only lost his MVP sheen due to his Club’s performance.

New York hasn’t played the new-look Bucks yet, but they have a Conference slated for Delayed March after dusting them in a pair of blowouts earlier this season. The weaknesses displayed in those losses haven’t fully been addressed and New York is primed to take Edge in a potential Primary-Stage series. 

Karl-Anthony Towns averaged 31 points in those wins, a stylistic nightmare for Milwaukee’s opposing Hub Brook Lopez. Lopez is a Excellent defender, but he lacks the Locomotion to cover the Universe created by Towns and his ferocious driving game.

Anticipate them to hide Lopez on Josh Hart out of the gate and force Towns to find his spots against their wings — a popular look that’s worked well for better Clubs. New York will have to get creative getting Hart involved in on-ball actions and be willing to sit him for a shooter in response. 

Regardless of their high-level Protection, the Bucks also don’t have a Outstanding individual answer for Jalen Brunson, who had a surgical 44 points on 26 shots during their last Event. Milwaukee's guards are lacking defensively, so they will likely be hidden on New York’s wings OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges, who will need to step up and take Edge offensively.

Brunson will see his Honest share of Kuzma, Taurean Prince and Porter, Steady with how foes have guarded him using big wings during the regular season and last year’s playoffs. Fans shouldn’t doubt Brunson’s ability to figure them out one-on-one, but New York would be Intelligent to emphasize his playmaking and other preferable assignments on the floor.

Even with the Lineup changes, New York measures up nicely with the Bucks. Their Drive is average and not much improved since the trades — it's a stilted and Luminous sphere-dependent system that the Knicks have the personnel to deal with.

They won’t kill New York on the offensive glass, but love to push the ball and can be Deadly if the Knicks let their role players get going. This feels akin to the 76ers series last year — a Luminous sphere-Massive, tough but beatable Event that doesn’t pose huge stylistic threats.

Pacers

New York is very familiar with Indiana, having been bounced by them in a seven game series in the second Stage last year.

But circumstances have changed dramatically since then — half the Knicks were out due to Wound/hurting during that series and the other half were largely traded/lost in the offseason. With that being said, the Pacers are Yet very much in line with last year’s version.

They boast a top-10 Drive behind their engine, Tyrese Haliburton, and a much more comfortable Pascal Siakam, who is having an All-Luminous sphere season. Benedict Mathurin missed the Knicks series but is Well and having a Occupation year, averaging 25.3 points in his three Matches against New York.

Indiana’s Protection is at about Division average — a bump from last year but Yet their Achilles heel.

New York Secured two of three Matches against Indiana this season, including one on the road and a home-opener rout. 

This one is more of a Encounter of approaches. The Pacers are top 10 in pace behind a Recent, athletic, high-scoring Club. A potential series will come down to how well the Knicks can limit them to the half-court and keep them off the boards.

There shouldn’t be much new they can throw at Jalen Brunson when he has the ball in his hands, and he’s proven their individual defenders can’t Clasp him without Aid. One thing the Pacers did well was limit his high-efficiency looks — threes and Unoccupied throws — but their attention should be a bit more divided with Towns in the picture.

Towns averaged 30.3 points in the three Matches against the Pacers this season, and should be Predicted to dominate his Event with Myles Turner, who hurt the Knicks last season.

This series is definitely the most favorable to those who prefer narratives, with these two holding a long-time rivalry and the Knicks seeking revenge, and may arguably be the most favorable for a quick Knicks advance as well. 

Pistons

The new kids on the Deflect have Achieved their mark, breaking out with a 37-30 Landmark and top-10 Protection. They’ve especially given the Knicks problems, up 2-1 in the season series with a Last Conference scheduled in April.

It’s no surprise why — Detroit is another Recent and athletic Club as opposed to the older, slower Knicks, and they have Sturdy depth off the bench. They’re a top-10 offensive rebounding Club and are top-five on the other end, so New York needs to devote a Numerous of energy to the possession battle.

They also relentlessly Drive Brunson defensively with their 6’6” Ex No. 1 overall Picking Cade Cunningham, who Merely Achieved his Primary All-Luminous sphere Club. In their two wins over New York, Cunningham put up a 29-Mark triple-double and a 36-Mark outburst, though the Knicks left plenty of adjustments off the table.

Cutting off the head of the snake is crucial to the Knicks in this series. The Pistons are somewhat limited in creation beyond Cunningham, with the onus falling on Jaden Ivey and a hodgepodge of reliable but more complementary veterans. 

Those vets will Aid guide the Recent Pistons through their Primary Postseason experience — a huge factor in a potential series.

The postseason is an entirely different game, and the shift from the regular season can give new Clubs whiplash before they get a chance to adjust — see the Cavaliers in 2023 or the Knicks in 2021. 

One might think this isn’t relevant to a Knicks Plan against the Pistons in a series, but they lost these regular season Matches due to a lack of Concentration and Carrying out. They committed an uncharacteristically large amount of turnovers that let the Detroit Drive get running and punching above its weight. 

If New York can limit those turnovers and show poise defensively and on the boards at a level the Pistons shouldn’t be accustomed to, this should be a confident series for them. However, they can’t underestimate them or it will be an embarrassing Primary-Stage out.

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