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00:00Welcome back to another edition of New York Got Game and Happy New Year to everyone out there.
00:20It is a new year. We're now in 2026 and the Knicks are being tested early. Three straight
00:26losses and the fan base has a lot of questions. Questions about the defense, questions about
00:32the offensive flow and a team right now that is trying to find its identity as 2026 gets
00:37underway. Look, adversity is nothing new for this Knicks franchise, but how you respond
00:42to it always matters. So this week, we're going to take a hard look at where the Knicks
00:47are right now. We're going to look at what's working, what's slipping and why their next
00:53game, the next game for the boxers here feels bigger than just one result because standing
00:57across from them is a top team in the East, the Detroit Pistons group that's grown, evolved
01:02and hasn't forgotten how last spring ended for them. Is this a get right moment for the
01:06Knicks or a statement opportunity for Detroit? We've got answers from both sides on this one.
01:13This is New York Got Game. Let's get right into it. So we're going to tip things off this
01:18week. We're going to start by looking at things on the New York side here. We're going to look
01:23at the Knicks. And so joining me now is one of the people who sees this Knicks team up
01:27close every single day. That's the New York Post Knicks beat writer, Stephan Bondi joins
01:31me now from Detroit. Steph, how you doing, man? Good, good. You know, it's kind of chilly
01:36in Detroit, but it's also chilly back home. So not that big of a difference. This is true.
01:41There's no time for you to get out the cold anytime soon with a lot of Northeast travel,
01:45although you have a West Coast trip coming up. So you might get some, some warmer weather
01:49coming your way soon. Steph, let's get into it because the Knicks, they haven't looked
01:52good these last three games from your vantage point covering this team daily. How would
01:56you describe the Knicks overall form during this three game loser streak and what we've
02:00seen from them? Yeah, I think there's a couple of things to play. One is there was a hangover
02:06from the NBA cup. You know, I didn't think they expected that, but I think it caught up
02:11with them. That's for sure. Two, Josh Hart's injury has kind of changed the dynamic of this
02:17team. You, you kind of overlook how important he is to the, to the defense and the offense
02:23that we speeds up the pace and how he's a kind of, he's this glue guy that when, when
02:29he is not there, things tend to get undone. So that's the second thing. And then the third
02:33thing that the defense has just looked pretty atrocious the last few weeks now. So a couple
02:41weeks. So, you know, I, I think those are the three factors. Um, if we're talking about
02:46the defense and I don't want to, I don't know if you had a question specifically planned
02:50about the, I do. And so, all right, so let's just go to that one. Yeah, yeah, no, we can
02:54go, we can go to that too. Cause I definitely had it. You kind of lined up some of the
02:57things that I thought here, then let's just get rid of the defense. You're right. You said
03:00atrocious. That was a word you use has been atrocious lately. What stands out to you
03:04the most about the next defensive breakdowns during this stretch? What we've seen, is it, are we
03:09looking at effort here, Steph? Is it schematic issues or is it matchup driven problems?
03:13What are you seeing that's wrong with the defense right now? Yeah. You know what? They look
03:17a lot like last season and they have almost the identical record that they did at this
03:22point last season. And their defense was bad at this point in the season, last season.
03:27You know, part of it is that Mikael Bridges is not, um, pulling his weight in terms of being
03:32the point of attack defender and getting through screens and navigating the pick and roll.
03:36Um, you know, you have cat and Brunson in the lineup frequently. Those are two, uh, below
03:42average defenders individually. Um, and then, you know, I heard, you know, that this is something
03:47that I'm going to have to confirm because I, I, I talked to a scout recently. I'm gonna have
03:52to start paying closer attention to this, but I think the next scheme is to direct the opponent
04:00to the middle rather than to the baseline, which kind of goes against, um, a lot of things
04:06you're taught, you know, as a basketball player and, and things you're supposed to do as a
04:11coach. So, um, I can imagine if that is the case, then that's, that's some takes adjusting
04:17to this might be confusing to players. So, um, that might be an aspect at play here, but
04:23still, you know, I think just the overall point of attack defense has been the main
04:29problem. So you brought up the point of attack defense there, uh, Steph, and in the most recent
04:35game we saw against the Sixers on Saturday, you saw miles McBride play a lot more down the
04:41stretch. He played 31 minutes in that game. He also played 31 minutes against the Hawks
04:44and Mike Brown was asked about it after the game and he said, you know, he needed his
04:48offense and obviously McBride has shot the ball well since coming back, but you just brought
04:53up the point about Mikel Bridges and his point of attack defense. Is that something Knicks
04:58fans should be concerned about? And can you see more of miles McBride sort of in that spot
05:02over bridges? Yeah, I think it depends on the matchup. I mean, the problem with McBride
05:07is he's not, he's, he's short, right? He's 60. Um, so you don't want him guarding
05:12Cade Cunningham. That's for sure. Um, I think they're going to throw OG at Cade cause that's
05:18what they did in the playoffs last year. And they, they really have been for the most part
05:22trying to throw OG at the team's best perimeter player, but you know, sometimes McHale has
05:29to pick up the slack and he hasn't been. So I think it's really matchup driven. I think
05:33what you applaud McBride for and what, uh, Mike Brown really loved Landry Schammett is his
05:41ability to get up in the defenders grill, get, you know, not let them breathe, get up
05:45in his space, getting around those screens, uh, picking up full court, that defensive intensity
05:51that McBride has that you don't always see from McHale. So I, I, I think that's more in
05:56line with what, um, you know, what I've seen, what Mike has talked about now he's never going
06:02to throw McHale under the bus. So he's been complimenting, um, a lot of McHale he's, he's
06:08called McHale, I'm not, not McHale, um, Deuce. He called Deuce, um, Landry Schammett and Kevin
06:15McCuller, uh, the three best on ball defenders on the team. So to me, that said something,
06:20um, and you know, I think it's matchup driven though.
06:24We'll see how that plays out. Now you hit on something before we're talking about the
06:29offense, uh, Steph, and that hasn't looked right for the Knicks either, particularly in
06:33these last three games. Talked about Josh Hart and his absence. How much have you seen
06:38him change the Knicks offensive him being out the Knicks offensive rhythm and also their
06:42identity? That's just seemed to have shifted on offense. How impactful is that in a way
06:46that fans may or may not see? Yeah. I mean, I, I think what you see with Josh is when he
06:52gets the ball, he's running, he's going, you know, he's going full steam ahead. He's a,
06:57he's a tremendous, uh, finisher in transition. Sometimes I'm like, I don't even know how that
07:02ball went in. Like he's, he's going down the lane, you know, after a turnover or even
07:06after a make by the opposition, he'll get the ball and just start going and he'll throw
07:11up a layup where he's falling backwards and it just tends to go in. Um, I think what, you
07:17know, he's obviously a very unselfish player with the ball. So he's always looking to facilitate.
07:23He keeps the ball moving. Um, there are a lot of things that makes Josh Hart, uh, the glue
07:28guy that I talked about and, you know, the contributions that he makes an offense, both in transition
07:33and as a facilitator, a part of that. How much of what we're seeing offensively stuff over
07:39these past, you know, five games or so since Josh Hart has been out, how much of that feels
07:43connected to, you know, pace, the pace hasn't really been there for the Knicks. Something
07:46that we heard a lot about in the preseason. We heard this back on media day, right? Is
07:51it more pace? Is it more shock quality in terms of the issues that you're seeing with the
07:55Knicks offensively? I think it's a combination. I think, I think the pace is never really,
08:00if you notice Mike Brown stopped talking about it. Like, yeah, you know, he talked about it
08:06the first five games or we got to get to the corners or pay. We got to play faster. We got
08:11to play fast. You know, I remember the first five games. He's, he said, we got to play faster
08:14about a hundred times. He doesn't say it anymore. Um, I think there was a coming to a realization
08:20that maybe that this team isn't equipped to play totally like he wanted them to play from
08:27the beginning. And that's fine. You're supposed to adjust to the personnel that you have. Um,
08:32cause I, I don't know how much Josh's recent absence had to do with that. I think that going
08:37back even further, that the pace was, was never going to be what Mike Brown had wanted it to be
08:43originally. So I, I don't tie that specifically into Josh's absence. All right. So something to
08:49look at their shot selection has been decent for the Knicks. They just haven't been hitting
08:54some shots. You think that might change in coming games. Now in recent weeks, Steph,
08:58we've seen several young players get some minutes under Mike Brown. How helpful is that to the Knicks
09:03improving their depth? And do you still think despite some young players emerging, if you want
09:08to use that word, Muhammad D. Awara, Kevin McCullough Jr. Do you still think the Knicks need to make a
09:13move to improve their depth by the trade deadline? Um, I'm going to wait and see on whether I personally
09:20think they need to, I think if you look at what Tyler Kolek did, he had a great NBA cup. He had
09:25a great Christmas game, but since then he's had a couple of duds and, um, you know, I think that
09:33the backup point guard is still something this team may want to address depending on what they see from
09:39Tyler Kolek until the February, we still have a over a month left before the deadline. So, you know,
09:45I kind of like a wait and see approach. I know that they've been, you know, trying to see if
09:50they can unload Gershon Yabaselli because his start with this team has gotten so off track,
09:56um, you know, and he feels, he probably feels like, you know, he, he can have a, uh, you know,
10:02a fresh start and a bigger opportunity somewhere else. With that being said, he has been more part
10:07of the rotation recently. You know, he went from a total DMP to getting a few minutes. So, you know,
10:13we'll see where that goes, but I think, I think obviously if you look at the models of the OKC Thunder
10:19and the Indiana Pacers, both who made the NBA finals, it was, they overwhelmed you with depth.
10:25They overwhelmed you with the amount of players they can throw in there, the different looks they
10:30can give you, you know, obviously they have fresh bodies because they're playing fewer minutes.
10:35Um, they kind of laid the groundwork for, or, you know, the model for what the Knicks are trying,
10:41tried to aspire to. I, you know, it's, it remains to be seen whether, you know,
10:46Muhammad Diwara and Kevin McCullough and Tyler Colick can actually be real contributors in a
10:52playoff situation, but that's the hope. Yeah. The hope is that, but that is the big question.
10:57Like you said, right there, can they contribute in a postseason situation? Let's move on to this
11:02Pistons game here on Monday from a mental standpoint. How important is this game for the Knicks after
11:08three straight losses? Because after the third straight loss, Mike Brown talked about adversity.
11:12That was a word he used time and time again. How important is this game in your eyes for the
11:16Knicks to get right after these three straight losses? Yeah, I think it's a confidence booster
11:21and I'm not going to put too much. I know it's the number one seed versus number two, right?
11:25But I'm not going to put much stock onto that. The Pistons are banged up too. They won't have
11:29Jalen Duren or Tobias Harris. Uh, they just played a game just now wrapped up about a couple hours ago
11:36in Cleveland. So they're playing on a back to back after flying in from Cleveland. So I don't think this
11:41is a good litmus test for either team. Uh, but I think, well, from a Knicks perspective, it's
11:46important to, to, to build up confidence at this point. They're obviously in the biggest slide of
11:51the season. They, this is their first three game losing streak of the season. Um, you know, a team,
11:56whether you, even at, you know, not at full strength, a win in Detroit, the place where,
12:01you know, they kind of ripped the hearts out of the fans here where Jalen Brunson hit that shot,
12:06quieted all of them after they were cursing them out. I think that'd be a good confidence booster for them.
12:10Yeah. It would be a confidence booster. Yeah. You kind of wish everybody was a little bit
12:14healthier to see how this would look as a litmus test, but got to wait and see for that down the
12:18road. Now, Steph, what makes Detroit a particularly difficult opponent for the Knicks right now,
12:23despite being down two starters, Karis LeVert also may not likely or will could play in this game,
12:28still up in the air. What makes them so tough for the Knicks now, given where New York is right
12:33now, defensively, we talked about all the defensive issues. So what makes Detroit so tough for them?
12:38I mean, they've been having a lot of problems with the pick and roll and Greg, Greg, guess who's
12:43really good at navigating? Yeah. And we're talking about a guy who, you know, I think he's been the
12:50best player in the Eastern Conference. It's really up to only three people. It's Kay Cunningham, Jalen
12:54Brown and Jalen Brunson. And you could definitely argue that Kate has been the top of that, that bunch.
13:00So he's been tremendous. They have the, I believe they're the number two rated defense
13:05in the NBA right now, only behind OKC. So they, they're, they'll give you all kinds of problems
13:12on that. And obviously Jalen Dern is a big part of that and he won't be there, but you know,
13:17they're a great defensive team. Kate Cunningham is a lot to deal with. They're a good team. And I think
13:23the only thing why people are true believers in the Pistons is because usually there's like a process.
13:29There's a gradual building up of a team, you know, you, you have to win a round and then you have
13:34to win two rounds to really, you know, be battle tested and show people that you can do it. This
13:39is a team that hasn't won a playoff series in, I don't know, 20 years. I don't even remember when
13:43the last time they, the franchise won a playoff series. So the only reason you don't believe in
13:48them is because they haven't done it before, but they're certainly capable. Um, and they're,
13:52they're having a great start to the season. No, they absolutely are at the top of the East right now
13:56in terms of this game. Is there a matchup in this game that you're most interested in
14:00watching as a barometer for whether the Knicks are correcting issues or still searching? Is there
14:05something, you know, in that matchup that'll show you that? Well, I think on both ends, it's, um,
14:10Cade versus, uh, OG and it's going to be a Sart Thompson who, you know, got crossed up on the big
14:18shot against Jalen Brunson. So I think that it's going to be very, if I'm a Sart Thompson, I take this
14:24matchup personally, after what happened, after how the way it ended. Um, this is the first game
14:29that they're playing against each other since that game six in Detroit. So I think it's going to be a
14:34fun game. I love that you mentioned the Sart Thompson there because I was thinking about that
14:38with him. We know he got crossed, he got moved out the screen on that crossover and then Jalen
14:42Brunson hits the shot. That's always interesting in the game though, Steph, because a player can get
14:46either too hyped up for the matchup and maybe be a little bit overaggressive or they could be locked
14:50in defensively. So you never know how it goes. I do think that's a good one to keep an eye on.
14:54Last thing for me here is big picture. What, what does a good performance look like for the Knicks
15:00on Monday night in the motor city, even beyond the final result in your eyes, obviously Knicks fans
15:05want to see a win, but what does a good performance against Detroit look like for you? I think anytime,
15:11you know, with this particular Knicks team and also last season, the Knicks team is when you,
15:15you know, hold the team to under 110 points and, you know, you get everybody going, you know,
15:23you, you love the Jalen Brunson is, can drop 40 on any given night, but this team is probably at its
15:29best when they're spreading the love, when Kat is getting his 25 and Jalen getting his 25 and then
15:36you're getting 22 from OG and Mikkel. We saw that very early in this season where they were really
15:42spreading the love. But, you know, sometimes with the Knicks now, it's like they're taking turns.
15:48This team is at their best when they're distributing the ball and getting a lot of
15:51assists and a lot of people, different people are scoring. All right, there you go. Back to some
15:55offensive distribution. Also playing some defense. That'd be good for Knicks fans to see. Once again,
16:00that is Stefan Bondi, our beat reporter here at the New York Post covering Knicks. He will be at the
16:04game on Monday night in the motor city. Knicks versus Pistons will be a big one. Steph safe travels back
16:12after the game. I will see you soon. All right, man. Okay, so now let's shift to the other side of
16:18this matchup and joining me is somebody who's had a front row seat to one of the best stories in the
16:23Eastern Conference this season is the Detroit Free Pistons beat reporter. He's also the host
16:28of the Pistons Pulse podcast. His name is Omari Sankofa II and he joins me now. Omari, what's going on?
16:35How you doing? Hey, it's going good, man. Thank you for having me on. Oh, man. Glad to have you on.
16:40This is the big one. You and I were talking before. This is one fans on both sides have had
16:44this one circled on their calendar for quite some time, but I want to start off by talking with you
16:48a little bit about the Pistons because when you zoom out on the Pistons season so far, what do you
16:53think has gone right most consistently for this team that has them right now at the top of the
16:58Eastern Conference? I think it's the way that they've bought in and executed defensively.
17:03This is a team that's maintained the number two defense in the league all season. Second,
17:09only behind the Oklahoma City Thunder, who obviously have been a little bit on a different
17:14level this season on that end. But, you know, they say defense travels and it's been good
17:20for them at home. It's been good on the road. It was a factor in them winning against the Cavs
17:26today, despite just really 41% from three. They have to get just enough stops to kind of
17:32eke that one out. So when you defend at that consistently high of a level and then you also
17:37have a player like Kate Cunningham who could do so much for you offensively, you know,
17:42I think you get a really good team, but it all starts with defense for them. And that's
17:46been elite from the jump.
17:47No, it has been elite. You talked about them being the number two defense right now in the
17:52NBA. I'm curious about their defensive identity, though. How do you think it's evolved compared
17:57to last season, particularly against high usage guards? And obviously I ask this because
18:01Jalen Brunson is a pretty high usage guard that they will see on Monday night in the matchup
18:06against the Knicks. How is their defensive identity evolved since last year?
18:11I think there's a confidence and just a deeper understanding of what they can do on that end
18:16on a high level compared to last year. You know, you take the film from the Knicks series
18:20and obviously they did as good of a job as they could on Jalen Brunson, but there's only
18:25so much you can do against a player like that. But I think they just came back with a deeper
18:30resolve. They worked hard on getting better on that end. Jalen Duren, I think has been a lot
18:35better defensively compared to last year. Jalen Stewart already, I think, was on defense
18:40caliber last year and he's been even better this year. He just got named defensive player
18:44of the year. You know, even a guy like Cade, you know, with the offensive load he's carrying,
18:50you know, I think he's taken a step this year. Over his last five games, he's averaging like,
18:55you know, two and a half combined blocks and steals, which has just been an increase for
19:00him overall compared to last year. Steals are up. You know, I think he's tight with his career
19:03high in blocks. So it's just a lot of guys understanding what they can do. And I think
19:08also understanding that when they execute on that end, it leads to winning. So that's
19:12just the biggest advancement from last year is they've gone from a good defensive team
19:16to an elite defensive team. And that's just guys buying in and understanding what it takes
19:21to get to that level. Yeah. When you watch the Pistons right now, they're playing with
19:24so much confidence on the defensive end. You saw that in the game you just mentioned
19:27their last game against Cleveland, getting the stops that they needed to down the stretch.
19:31And you also mentioned Cade Cunningham, Omari, and it looks like this year, his game's taken
19:35another leap. We saw a leap last year, but it looks like his game's taken another leap.
19:39So what is Cade's growth look like to you this year in terms of, I would say, command, leadership,
19:44and then decision-making? What's that look like to you?
19:47It feels like he's just got incrementally better in every aspect of the game. His assists have
19:53gone up, his turnovers relative to his assists are lower than they were last year. He's scoring
19:58the ball at a slightly higher rate. He's getting to the line more. I mentioned the still numbers
20:04and blocks are going up. So I think on both ends, he just truly understands that he's a
20:10guy that can make an impact in every way. And that's been his task this season. He's been
20:16in the middle of a tear over the last week. His percentages, shooting-wise, have just gotten
20:20better and better. Yeah, you know, I think that's what happens when a guy, you know, first
20:26gets that taste of success, you know, that first taste of what it means to be a number
20:30one player on a playoff team. And, you know, he's taken that and he's polished his game.
20:37You know, there's not so many guys in the league averaging, you know, 25 and 10 the way he is
20:42now. And it's not so many guards who carry as big of a load as he has offensively that can
20:47also give you something on defense, too. So, yeah, he's just the ultimate floor raiser
20:52for this team. They don't necessarily have that quote-unquote second superstar, especially
20:57with Jalen Duren out tomorrow. But I think when, like, your best player is just an elite
21:03playmaker and an elite scorer, it makes it easier.
21:06Oh, absolutely does for sure. When you look at this Pistons improvement, though, this year
21:11from getting to, you know, you talked about it on defense, right, and how they've now jumped
21:14up to the top of the Eastern Conference, how much of that improvement is tied to continuity
21:19for this team versus schematic changes under the coaching staff in year two for J.B. Vickers
21:24staff? How much do you think continuity has impacted the Pistons improvement this season?
21:30Yeah, I think continuity is a big part of it. All of your top defenders last year were guys
21:36that were drafted by the previous regime, Troy Reaver, and they've, you know, developed
21:41together. Sar Thompson, Isaiah Stewart, I think, are two of the top guys at their positions
21:47defensively. Like I mentioned, Cade, he's been at a pretty high level in that area. Jalen Duren,
21:54he's taking a step forward. And then, you know, even some guys they added. Javance Green has
21:58been really great for him defensively. And then Ron Holland, you know, who Trajan Langdon
22:03picked fifth overall last year, has been a difference maker on that end as well. So
22:09it just, you know, you know, again, I think it just goes up and down the roster. But you
22:14have a couple of new guys adding to what was already established here, you know, with the
22:18expectation that eventually it will be a really good defensive team. And that's what it's
22:22grown into.
22:22That's absolutely what it's grown into right now. But now we got to get to the fun stuff
22:26here, Omari, because after being eliminated by the Knicks last spring, my question for you
22:31as someone who's been around this team, how motivated does this group appear for this
22:36matchup, the first time they're going to face the Knicks since they ended their season last
22:40spring? How motivated is this group to get a little payback on the Knicks right now?
22:46Well, they're extremely motivated. You know, I think the way that that series ended kind
22:50of sticks with you over the course of the offseason. Obviously, the crazy shot Jalen Brunson
22:56hit over Asar Thompson. But even in previous games, just, you know, the clutch shot making
23:01down the stretch from him and Carl Anthony Towns. And then there was also a game where
23:06Tim Hardaway Jr. didn't get a call that, you know, he felt a lot of people on the team felt,
23:12you know, he should have got and would have sworn outcome of that game. So six game series,
23:18like it really came down to the margins. Like, I think that's the type of playoff loss that fuels
23:23you and helps you get to that next level. And we've seen that with the Pistons. I mean,
23:27they're number one in the East. You know, I think they're three games over the Knicks. So
23:32they've gotten off to a much better start. But until you actually get out of the first round,
23:36you know, I think they understand that that's the next charge for them. So, you know, I mean,
23:40it starts it starts tonight, right? You know, Knicks are a team that you're going to have to
23:44be able to beat to accomplish that ultimate goal of winning a championship. And you saw what happened
23:50last year. And that was your first shot at showing, hey, you know, that wasn't a fluke. We're here
23:56and we could prove that we're the better team this time.
23:59Let me ask you this too. Like, how much do you think they are better? Because Stefan Bondi was
24:03just saying as a follow-up to that, he was saying to me, hey, look, the Pistons are good, but people
24:07aren't necessarily believing them. Some people aren't believing them because they haven't seen them go
24:11through the process, right? Right. They haven't seen them win a round. They haven't seen them go further
24:15and take those steps, but you got to get there. Do you think this is a team that's kind of ready
24:19to win a round or two in the postseason? Did I say even more?
24:25Yeah, I think they're ready. I mean, I think that's fair, right? Like, you never know how good
24:29a team is until you get to the stage where it matters most, right? I mean, we've seen teams win,
24:35you know, 50, even 60 games and then go into the playoffs and not deliver on that. So they do have
24:41to prove it in the postseason at some point. But a lot of what they've done this season, I think,
24:45is sustainable. The defense, that's not going to go anywhere in the playoffs.
24:49Offensively, yeah, you have some drawbacks that I think will reveal themselves in the postseason.
24:56Outside of Duncan Robinson, you don't have a lot of elite shooting. As we talked about,
25:01don't really have that second star next to Cade. And, you know, I actually think the series with
25:05the Knicks show just how important it is to have two guys you could get to, right? Brunson may not
25:10be able to get it done one night, but then you can lean on Cat, who's a ridiculous shot maker in his
25:14own right. And the Pistons don't really have that. So, you know, I think they have what it takes to
25:20win a playoff series. You know, you just kind of compare the top of the East and the bottom.
25:24You know, I think there's a pretty clear separation. And Pistons obviously are in that first group.
25:29You know, can they make a deep postseason run? That's the next step. Yeah. And they're going to
25:34have to show that, yeah, we can knock down threes. Yeah, we can find ways to square the ball in case,
25:38not getting it going for whatever reason. Those are the types of questions that, you know, dictate
25:43good regular season teams from good playoff teams. And that's something that they're going to
25:47eventually have to do. Yep. They're going to have to answer those questions for sure. Now, look,
25:51when you're going from one season to a next or a playoff loss, we always think about the lessons
25:55that are learned. What lessons, if any, Omari, do you think carried over from that playoff loss last
26:01year into this season's approach and to where this team is right now as we approach the halfway mark
26:05of the NBA season? Just the margins, you know, I think just how thin that line between winning
26:12and losing is. And like when it comes down to it, every single play matters. You know, I think they
26:17felt heavily the mistakes, you know, they made the plays they couldn't make down the stretch that
26:23led to their exit. And it, I mean, I think the entire series was decided by less than six or seven
26:29points. So every loss that they had, they felt like, oh, we could have and probably should have won
26:34that game. So that's what they took away from it is there's a level of perfection you have to reach
26:41if you want to consistently win. That's really been their charge this year, right? Like we understand
26:45that we can't have too many wasteful possessions. Again, I think today's game in Cleveland was a
26:52great example where they had 11 turnovers in the first 18 minutes and then five, the rest of the
26:56game. You know, it's just understanding, you know, to nip things in the butt, you know, before they
27:02become problematic. And that's the maturity aspect that I think they really have been able to display
27:07this season. Got you on that. Now I want to talk to you mentioned Isaiah Stewart before he's drawn
27:12some attention for his defensive impact. He just was named Eastern Conference defensive player of the
27:16month in December. What has stood out to you the most about his role and presence this year? He was
27:22opening eyes last year, as you mentioned, right, as an impact defensive player, but it almost seems
27:27like he's leveled up defensively as well, too. So what's been going right for Beef Stew on the
27:31defensive end? Yeah, I mean, he's been one of the elite centers on that end, averaging like over
27:37two blocks a game and not that many minutes. I don't think he's averaging more than 24, 25 minutes
27:43a game this season. But it's not just the shot blocking. He's just genuinely one of the best
27:47room protectors in the league. Absolutely somebody who's a massive shot deterrent down there. He's got
27:53to lead the league and block dunks pretty much every time somebody tries to go for a poster. He's
27:59right there with them trying to block it. And at least half the time, he's getting the better of
28:04the player that tried to poster him. But he's got great feet. His wingspan, he can just impact so
28:11many shots, like even just outside the paint. He blocked a Donovan Mitchell three-pointer today,
28:17for example. And then I think offensively, he's taking a step forward, too. So what you get is just
28:23an extremely effective two-way player. But it's the defense, I think, that separated him.
28:29And he was elite last year. This year, he's just swatting even more shots. I think he just has an
28:34even better understanding of timing and, you know, just the sheer capability of the shots he's able
28:40to contest. So nothing goes uncontested when he's in the game. He's going to make sure he's everywhere.
28:46You just made me think about something there. We need to start keeping a stat of people that are
28:50blocking dunks or potential posters. Like, that's a stat we need to keep. Because it's impressive.
28:55You know somebody's trying to bang it on you, and you erase it. That could be a good look.
29:00Now, you mentioned that one of the things when you look at this roster is, and this has been
29:05talked about with the Pistons, they don't really have that second star. Right, Omari? And there's
29:08been rumors, trade rumors, I'd say, around the Pistons potentially looking to upgrade their roster.
29:12How open is the organization to making a trade versus kind of still having a little bit more of that
29:18continuity and letting this group continue to grow together? Is there where they, and do you know,
29:23maybe a little bit what you know about where they are right now and whether they want to make a trade
29:28or not? I think broadly, they would like to value continuity this season, continue to let this
29:34court grow together and see what it can accomplish on its own. I mean, we've seen young teams, you know,
29:40sort of ascend to that status on its own, just through player development. Like most recently,
29:44obviously, OKC. And if you need to eventually go get someone else, you can do that. But, you know,
29:50given that this is, you know, their second season where you could view them as being ahead of
29:56schedule, you know, they're still so young. Durant just turned 22, K's 24. I think Jaden Ivey's 23.
30:03You know, SARS 23. Like these guys are still really young and they've still got growth ahead
30:09of them. Ron Holland turned 20 this season. You know, he's probably got a player to a night where
30:14he just hits a wild layup and he's one of the, you know, still leaders in the leagues as well. So
30:20they don't want to disrupt this if they don't have to. And I think everything that they've gotten
30:26from a data standpoint so far shows that that patience is being rewarded. So you can't ever
30:31completely rule out them making a move. You know, I think it's always a possibility,
30:35but I don't think they're viewing this trade deadline as a, we need to go get that second
30:39start for Cade right now type of deal. You know, I think they're comfortable allowing this to develop
30:44and those are decisions you can make down the road and you do have time just because of how young
30:50they are. Yeah, they're so young. I think people forget about that with this Pistons team. When you
30:55look at this Pistons team, Omari, what matchup advantages do the Pistons have against the Knicks team
31:00that's really been struggling defensively over this past week? What matchup advantages do you feel
31:05like the Pistons have that they can take advantage in this matchup coming up?
31:09Yeah. You know, I think when you are missing Jalen Duren and Tobias Harris, that, that,
31:14that hurts you offensively. But when you're going against a defense, like the Knicks who have been,
31:18you know, like a bit softer on that end, I think that probably doesn't hurt you as much.
31:24Cleveland, like it was tough. I mean, you're still going against, even with Jared Allen,
31:28you still have Mobley. You've still got these long arm defenders that you're, you're, you're
31:32dealing with. The Knicks don't pose that type of threat defensively. So, you know, it's conceivable
31:38that a guy like, you know, outside of Cade Cunningham, but Jaden Ivey could step up and fill that
31:43void. I mean, they're, they're two way guard who's been really good this year. Dennis Jenkins had a
31:4821 point second quarter. I've been six to six from three to today. So you have multiple guys who can
31:53step up and kind of fill that offensive void. Um, you know, and then I think with that,
31:58like you're the number two defense, the Knicks are going to be tough to stop. Uh, you know,
32:02you've got two guys and, and Kat and Brunson who have been carving teams up and you also don't have
32:08Duren, I think, which hurts you a bit from a size standpoint, but you still have a star. Uh,
32:14you still have Stu. Uh, I think Paul Reese was one of the best third centers. And then you've got,
32:18uh, you know, wings, right? Like you've still got, uh, Ron Holland, like I mentioned, uh, you've
32:25got players up and down Javon say green, who's been really good defensively. I think matchup wise,
32:30the Pistons can still, uh, match up with them defensively. Uh, you know, the main thing is
32:35just, can you get enough shots against their soft defense to, to, uh, hang? Because again,
32:41you have Kat and Brunson, you're still going to have to make some shots. So get somebody else
32:45other than Cunningham going and you have a much better chance of winning this guy.
32:48That's a fair point with the Knicks. You know, they're a top three to four offense. So
32:51they're going to be able to put up some points there too. Is that the thing that concerns you
32:54the most? Maybe Omari about facing the Knicks from the Detroit standpoint, even with them
32:59coming in here on the three game losing streak, is it the fact that is what concerns you the
33:03most? The fact that you've got to put up points with them or is it something else?
33:07I think it's the fact that you have to put up points. Like I said, you're a great defense,
33:11but you're missing some sides with Duren. Uh, so that might hurt you in the glass a little
33:14bit. Uh, you know, of course there's also, uh, you know, just not having, you know, to have
33:19Stu, uh, you know, play almost the entire game just to make sure you match up. Um, yeah, if
33:25they've struggled to shoot from three, uh, you know, like they have a bunch of guys that
33:29can knock down threes, you know, Brunson and Kat included, even with a good defensive night,
33:34uh, you want to make sure you could just score enough points on your own. And, you know,
33:37they've had Oceania Ndobi, they could throw at Kate and you've got Mikel Bridges, uh, you know,
33:42so they can match up there as well. So yeah, for the Pistons, I think their offense, uh, is
33:48going to, is going to determine the game. If they can keep pace, I think there's a chance
33:51they could win after struggling to make shots of Kate's, you know, got, got, got, got to play
33:56Harrow ball down the stretch. Then, um, that's going to be tough for them to pull this one
34:00out. I guess last thing for me here, Omari is, and we talked about this before Pistons
34:04fans and Knicks fans had this game circled for quite some time. First time these teams
34:09are meeting since the playoffs last year. So when Pistons fans in particular, look at
34:12this game with the Knicks, what do you think would define a statement performance for Detroit
34:17that, especially right now, the top of the East Knicks are coming in here struggling a
34:21little bit. What does a statement performance from the Pistons look like to you? I think a statement
34:27of performances, you come home on a second night of a back-to-back that's got a good
34:31win in Cleveland and you come back and you do the exact same thing against the Knicks.
34:36Uh, you know, the game never being in question, maybe that's a seven point win, maybe eight
34:40points, maybe more, but, uh, you walk away from this game thinking, yes, we are the best
34:45team in it, in the Eastern conference. Uh, like there's a clear gap between us and then
34:49the number two team who after tonight will still be the Knicks. Although I know Boston sort
34:53of in that mix as well. But, uh, long story short, if you're the Pistons, you've got a
34:58three game lead in the entire conference. Uh, you want to make that clear. Like we are
35:03the number one team in the Eastern conference. Uh, Dix, you are number two. I think that's
35:07a fairly commanding win, whether that's seven, eight points, whether that's more, you know,
35:11I think anything by that margin, you feel pretty good that, uh, this business team is
35:15one that can continue to win and maybe make some noise in the playoffs too. Yeah. It's going
35:19to be interesting because the Pistons could make that statement there. The Knicks will
35:22also want to end their skid coming on this three game loser streak. So it's very
35:26interesting for both teams. Both teams, as we've noted, not whole, they're going to be
35:29some players missing this one. Josh Hart, Landry, Shamit out for this one. Pistons
35:33without Jalen Duren, Tobias Harris and Karis Lavert. Any word on him in terms of
35:38playing? Karis Lavert is no word yet. Yeah. So he was, he was day to day, uh, after, uh,
35:45you know, today's game, uh, you know, that's not checked. The Pistons hadn't updated his
35:48status yet. So there's a chance he could be back, but absolutely Tobias and Duren,
35:53as you said, will be out. All right. So we will see how that is. Big game Monday night
35:57in the Motor City, Knicks and Pistons. That is Omari Sanko for the second. Check him out
36:03with the Detroit free free press. Excuse me. Also a host of the Piston Pulse podcast is a
36:08great job there. Omari, pleasure connecting with you, brother. Appreciate you coming through
36:12here on New York got game, be able to talk some Knicks Pistons. We'll have to do it again
36:15soon. Definitely, man. I appreciate you for having me. All right. When we look at
36:21everything, this is a big game for the Knicks. And I agree with Stefan Bondi, our first guest
36:27here on the show, we talked about the fact that this is a game that can do a lot for
36:30the Knicks confidence. Cause right now the team has not looked confident over the last
36:34three games. Do I think this is the end of the world? This three game slide? No. Do I
36:37think it's cause to panic among the Knicks fan base? No. Do I think there are things that
36:42you can legitimately be concerned about? Yes. And particularly for me, I know the offense
36:47has slipped a little bit and they're down to fourth in offensive rating according to
36:51cleaning the glass, but that's not my biggest concern. The biggest concern for me is how
36:55the defense has looked and it's been wildly inconsistent all season. The Knicks have not
36:59shown they have had the ability to get stops, particularly when it counts. We saw this last
37:04week in the game against San Antonio on New Year's Eve. Knicks unable to get stops down the
37:09stretch and that hurt them. And right now they're just below average. If you want to
37:14talk in terms of defense in the league, according to cleaning the glass, they are 16th in defensive
37:18rating. I've been saying this all along on this show all season long. The Knicks have to get
37:23better at that. I did believe they could get somewhere between top eight to top 10 in defense.
37:29They got some work to do if they want to get there, but you heard Mike Brown talk a lot
37:33about adversity after their loss on Saturday to the Sixers and the Knicks are facing adversity
37:39three game losing streak. But now it matters what they're going to do. They've been punched
37:43in the face. How are they going to respond? And that is going to be the key thing to see
37:48against Detroit national TV game on Peacock. Everybody's going to be watching first time
37:53these teams meeting since they met in the playoffs last spring. Now we've got to see how it all
38:00goes down for the Knicks. So if they're going to get to where they want to go and they're going to
38:05have to play that kind of championship level defense, the defense is going to have to get
38:10better. And so we'll see. This is the first real test, the first time that, you know, Knicks fans
38:16are feeling some angst about the team. And look, a three game losing streak was going to happen at
38:20some point this season. At some point we're going to do that. People are going to question Mike Brown and
38:24all that stuff. But I think if you're a Knicks fan, you've got to like the fact that this matchup
38:28is coming right now. They have this game, then they have the Clippers this week before they head
38:32out on a West Coast road trip. So I think this matchup against Detroit comes at a fantastic time.
38:37I'm with Steph on this too. Is it a real litmus test? No, but it's still a big game because the
38:42Knicks need to get their confidence back and let's see if they can get that swagger back that we saw
38:47from them during a pretty good December and during that run to winning the NBA Cup. That's going to do
38:53it for this edition of New York Got Game. Got to thank my two guests on the show. We had
38:59Steph and Bondi rock with us from Detroit and also Amari Sanko for the second of the Detroit Free
39:05Press. Rock with us too to break down the Pistons. Appreciate them both. Got to appreciate the people
39:09that make the show look great. Producer Erica Block, production assistants Tommy Cohen and Jessica
39:15Thiessen and the great editor Eduardo Guerrero doing a fantastic job here. I'm Dexter Henry. Enjoy the week.
39:22We've got a lot more coming up. Watch party on Monday for the Pistons game. Monday night,
39:27we're doing a watch party for the Pistons game. That'll be fun. Myself, Brian Fonseca and Rebecca
39:33Chasen of Knicks Film School will be here for that. We'll also have a live show for you later in the
39:38week before the Knicks head out to the West Coast. So that should be a lot of fun. Be good, be well.
39:44Once again, happy New Year to everybody. We'll catch you next time on New York Got Game.
39:48And thanks for watching New York Got Game. Boom shakalaka.
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