Cade Cunningham envisions a troublesome battle in his Pistons playoff collection in opposition to the Knicks.
“It’s going to be a conflict,” the Pistons star stated Sunday on ESPN. “It’s going to be extremely bodily video games — protection, battling it out on the glass, all of these various things.
“I feel it’s going to be an excellent thrilling collection for individuals at dwelling to observe, and it’s going to be a fantastic check for us so far as first spherical, first collection in a very long time for the group. So it’s thrilling, and I feel it’s going to be a fantastic one for us.”
Cunningham, a first-time All-Star this season and robust candidate for All-NBA, torched the Knicks in 4 matchups this common season, averaging 30.8 factors with 8.3 assists whereas taking pictures over 56 %.
“All through the entire yr, only a actually good participant,” stated Mikal Bridges, who was one of many major defenders on Cunningham this season.
“Simply goes at his personal tempo, he’s calm always,” Bridges continued. “And I feel this yr, even the yr earlier than, however this yr [especially], extra playmaking … Making extra reads. Getting different guys open, understanding he has the ball in his arms extra, however nonetheless getting different guys going, understanding he has extra alternatives.”
Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau stated he’s giving the Pistons and Cunningham, ‘the right quantity of respect.’”
“He’s had a terrific season. It’s not simply [against] us, he’s finished it in opposition to all people. We perceive that. … With nice gamers you don’t guard them individually, you guard them collectively,” Thibodeau stated. “So we’ve to know what goes into that.”
By profitable Sunday, the Knicks eclipsed final season’s mark by one victory and secured the franchise’s finest document since 2013.
“I simply stated that to our workforce, you win 51 video games, you’re the third seed, so that you’ve earned the appropriate to be within the playoffs,” Thibdoeau stated. “You’re not within the play-in, so you will have every week to organize and prepare for the following problem. It’s actually a brand new season. The common season places you in place, provides you the chance, you need to end with the very best seed attainable and then you definately begin throughout.
“Everybody’s document is zero and 0. You’ve bought to earn every part once more. We’ve got to know what goes into it. By way of preparation, we’re huge believers in how we put together. Now it’s time to prepare and research.”
