In exactly one month from today, the 2025 NBA playoffs will begin. Teams around the league are fighting to keep their playoff position.
If the season ended today, the Detroit Pistons would face the New York Knicks in the first round.
ESPN analyst Udonis Haslem dropped a bombshell prediction that has Knicks fans worried – he thinks Detroit could send New York packing early.
“I’m looking at Detroit and I’m saying this could be a 1st round exit for New York,” Haslem said during Tuesday’s broadcast.
This would be a massive upset considering the big moves New York made this season.
The Pistons have been quietly building something special in Detroit. After five straight seasons with 23 or fewer wins, they’ve turned things around dramatically.
They’re sitting at 38-31 right now.
That’s good enough for a playoff spot and gives them a real shot at their first winning record since 2018-19, which was also the last time they made the postseason.
Haslem, a three-time NBA champion, pointed to some specific weaknesses in the Knicks’ armor. He highlighted how trading Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo for Karl-Anthony Towns has boosted their offense but left them vulnerable defensively.
It’s a fair point, though some would argue acquiring Mikal Bridges helps patch those defensive holes.
The bigger concern for New York might be Jalen Brunson’s health. The All-Star point guard is currently sidelined with an ankle sprain.
According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, Brunson won’t return until late March or early April – cutting it extremely close to playoff time.
Haslem didn’t mince words about Brunson’s injury: “That ankle won’t be 100% until summertime when he can get rest.”
The former Miami Heat veteran also seems impressed with Detroit’s young talent, specifically mentioning Cade Cunningham and sharpshooter Malik Beasley as players who could give the Knicks fits in a seven-game series.
Could we really see the resurgent Pistons knock off the star-studded Knicks? The next month of basketball should give us some clues before the real drama begins.
