New York was tested in the first round of the playoffs by a young, physical Detroit Pistons team that pushed them to six games. Ultimately, Jalen Brunson was the difference in the series, dominating clutch time, including a game-winning 3 in Game 6 to send the Knicks to the second round.
This battle prepared New York for a matchup with the defending champion Boston Celtics in the second round, a series that few expected the Knicks to even compete in. Instead, Brunson and company pulled off the upset in six games, including completing 20-point comebacks in the second halves of both Games 1 and 2. The series ended with a blowout at Madison Square Garden as the Knicks clinched a playoff series at home and advanced to the Eastern Conference finals for the first time in 25 years.
