Dec 8, 2025; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Jeremy Sochan (10) brings the ball up court against New Orleans Pelicans guard Jose Alvarado (15) during the first half at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

Knicks Newest Addition Brings Right Mentality To Beat Pistons

Originally posted on New York Knicks on SI
By BJ Matthews | Last updated Feb 19, 2026 12:00 PM ET

Every team is different. Some bring valuable aspects to the table, which can pose them as a real threat to certain opponents . This season, the New York Knicks, who are currently a top-three seed in the Eastern Conference, have struggled against the team they took out last year in the first round of the playoffs, which are the Detroit Pistons.

The Pistons have completely embarrassed the Knicks over their two meetings so far this year, winning by 30-plus points in both contests.

New York Knicks guard Mikal Bridges Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

In their last meeting vs. the Pistons on Feb. 6, the Knicks lost 118-80 at Little Caesars Arena. That defeat wasn’t just another regular-season game; it proved that something was missing from the Knicks' locker room.

The Knicks have everything from a talent perspective, but questions have circulated about the mentality of the group, especially versus the gritty No. 1-seeded Pistons this year.

After the trade deadline, they made a small but strategic move to grab a player who could help fix their internal issues. The signing of newly-acquired forward Jeremy Sochan, who has moved on from the San Antonio Spurs, is looking to make an immediate impact to the group.

This past weekend, while in Los Angeles for All-Star weekend, Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson had already envisioned the type of player Sochan will be for the Knicks.

"Very excited to see him. He brings a level of toughness. From what I've seen, he's been a great teammate. It's a great opportunity for us and for him,” Brunson said in a press conference.

The Knicks needed to add one thing

The first word Brunson echoed was “toughness”. There isn’t much to hide when it comes to this element for the game when it comes to the Knicks. The Pistons have overwhelmed not only the Knicks, but also the league with their physicality.

San Antonio Spurs forward Jeremy Sochan Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

Sochan, a player who plays hard and is willing to make life easier for his teammates , is the type of player who they need to match what the Pistons core values are: energy, youth, and toughness. The other newly acquired Knick, Jose Alvarado, has already demonstrated since joining the team only three games ago.

Alvarado, at 6'0", is another player known to have a bit of an edge and play extremely hard. Sochan will now join Alvarado and Josh Hart as the “tough guys” on the team. This is an element the Knicks will be able to benefit from while still keeping their talent.

New York will face the Pistons tonight, and this will be an instant glimpse of if this is a more rejuvenated Knicks team.

This article first appeared on New York Knicks on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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