PREVIEW: The No. 3 New York Knicks (51-31, 24-17 away) visit the No. 6 Detroit Pistons (44-38, 22-19 at home) at Little Caesars Arena with the Knicks currently leading the first-round playoff series 2-1. The home team hopes to even things up after New York escaped with a narrow 118-116 victory in Game 3. A Knicks win would put them within one victory of eliminating Detroit before returning to Madison Square Garden, coming off a strong offensive performance where Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns combined for 61 points. New York brings several statistical advantages into the matchup, ranking 2nd in efficient three-point shooting and 3rd in transition efficiency according to ShotQuality data, though they paradoxically attempt the third-fewest threes in the league. The newly crowned Clutch Player of the Year Brunson has lived up to his billing, scoring 10 of the Knicks' 14 points during crunch time in Game 3 while making excellent reads when facing extra defenders. Detroit approaches this as a must-win contest, with an expectation they'll play with greater urgency to avoid falling into a difficult 3-1 hole before heading back to New York. The Pistons will rely heavily on Cade Cunningham to energize the home crowd and lead their comeback attempt in the series. ShotQuality metrics highlight Detroit's strengths defending shots at the rim (ranked 4th) and their tendency to attack the basket (ranked 5th), creating an interesting contrast with New York's midrange-heavy approach. Tim Hardaway Jr. bounced back with 24 points in Game 3 after a scoreless Game 2, giving the Pistons hope they can even the series just as they did in their last playoff appearance six years ago. Through three games, Detroit actually holds a +7 point differential in the series, with six of the twelve quarters decided by three points or fewer, demonstrating just how competitive this matchup has been.