Now that the Celtics have disposed of the Magic, Celtics fans can turn to the 2nd Round matchup against the Pistons or Knicks. With Game 6 tonight, the Celtics could know their fate with a Knicks win, but should they be rooting for that?
The Celtics boast winning records against both teams, sweeping the Knicks and going 3-1 against the Pistons. The Pistons came on strong at the end of the season, led by potential All-NBA member Cade Cunningham, who showed why he was worthy of the number one overall pick. The Knicks never quite found their footing against Boston, although they gave it a good effort in their OT loss at the end of the season.
After their offseason shakeup, the Knicks have limited depth and Tom Thibodeau is known for short rotations and heavy minutes on his starters. In the five games against the Pistons, "Thibs" is playing 9 players, but only seven are averaging over 10 minutes and five are over 37 minutes a game. The playoffs are a sprint for sure, but the Knicks have been sprinting since October.
The Pistons, on the other hand, are more balanced and deeper. Only Cunningham and Tobias Harris play more than 35 minutes, but that can change with the return of Isaiah Stewart and Jaden Ivey, should they be cleared for Round 2. The Pistons also have an edge to them. They are showing that even though they are new to the playoffs, they aren't afraid of anyone or anything, even the defending champs.
Overall, the Pistons and Knicks are statistically similar, running a similar pace and field goal attempts per game. When you look at who the Celtics may play, the default would be to go with the team with less depth, who is worn down and doesn't have an ascending star. The Pistons are deeper, more balanced and likely haven't seen the best out of their best player, Cade Cunningham. Meanwhile, the Knicks have likely peaked. Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges and Karl Anthony-Towns are great, but we know what they are at this point and the Celtics know how to handle them.
In Round 2, the Celtics don't want surprises. While they likely win either series, the Celtics are better off routing for the foes they know in the Knicks instead.