Knicks must avoid playing against this team in the playoffs

With the NBA regular season ending on Sunday, teams across the league are strategically maneuvering their seeds, looking to manipulate matchups for the first round and beyond.

The New York Knicks are one of those teams battling for position in the Eastern Conference, as they are currently the third seed with two games remaining. New York can clinch that spot with a win over the Cleveland Cavaliers — who are resting significant players with home-court advantage locked up — on Friday night.

Securing the third seed in the East would virtually guarantee the Knicks going up against the Boston Celtics in the second round.

However, the Knicks' potential first-round series could be problematic if they find themselves playing against the Detroit Pistons.

This season, Detroit is 3-1 against New York, including two wins coming on the road in Madison Square Garden. In addition, the Pistons have won three straight games against the Knicks.

Thursday night was another example of the Pistons imposing their will on the Knicks, winning 115-106. New York was without OG Anunoby, Josh Hart and Mitchell Robinson. 

The Pistons' size and physicality gave the Knicks offense fits in the second half, as New York only scored 44 total points in the final two quarters.

Cade Cunningham presents a nightmare scenario for New York. In four games against the Knicks this season, Cunningham is averaging 30.8 points, 8.2 assists and 5.0 rebounds while shooting 56% from the field and 52% from beyond the arc. These statistics show the 23-year-old guard can score at will and get others involved.

Defensively, the Pistons can switch in on-ball screen situations at all five positions with Cunningham, Ausar Thompson, Tobias Harris, Isaiah Stewart, Malik Beasley, Jalen Duren, and Ron Holland II, which will create adverse situations for Brunson, who thrives in the pick-and-roll offense.

As for Towns, the Pistons' overwhelming physicality has gotten him into foul trouble in the last two meetings, picking up at least four fouls in each contest.

As things stand at the moment, New York and Detroit would be playing against each other in the first round as the third and sixth seed. Ideally, the Knicks would like to slide back to the fourth spot to avoid the Celtics' portion of the bracket and face the Milwaukee Bucks, who are currently the fifth seed. The problem with this, however, is Detroit can steal the fifth seed by defeating Milwaukee in the final two games.

Regardless, New York is in a tough spot heading into the playoffs. In addition to being 1-3 against the Pistons, the Knicks are 0-7 combined against the Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers heading into Friday night.