The New York Knicks are back in the Eastern Conference Finals, and this run has looked different from anything they have done before. They have outscored opponents by 194 points across 10 playoff games, the best such margin in NBA postseason history, rolling past Atlanta in six and then sweeping the 76ers without breaking a sweat.
On ESPN’s Get Up, the conversation turned to just how far this team can go. The host noted New York is now favored to come out of the East, then asked the bigger question about whether they can hang with Oklahoma City if it comes to that.
Williams did not hesitate.
“1,000 percent. I’ll say, once you get to the finals, anything can happen. I still think OKC would be favoured. But still, they could put up a fighter’s chance. By the way, I know that we’ll talk about this later, but you have Cleveland, then you have Detroit. If I’m the Knicks, I want Detroit. I’ll say it.”
THE KNICKS BEAT THE PISTONS LAST YEAR IN THE PLAYOFFS
Knicks won in 6 and Jalen Brunson had the walk off shot IN Detroit 😂 😂
What are we doing here?
Why Jay Williams Wants the Knicks to Face Cade Cunningham
GettyCade Cunningham
That last part is where the conversation got interesting. Williams was not picking Detroit because he thought they were easier. He wanted them because of the Cade Cunningham narrative, and because he believes this Knicks roster is built to put it to rest.
“I know because Cade Cunningham is a Knicks killer. And J.B. Bickerstaff, we want all the smoke with that team all the time. You haven’t seen this version of us. OK, I want that back. I want a chance to redeem myself. I’ll take Cleveland or Detroit, doesn’t really matter.”
The Knicks beat Detroit in six games in the 2025 playoffs, with Jalen Brunson drilling a go-ahead three with 4.3 seconds left in Game 6, right there in Detroit. Cunningham shot 0-for-8 from three that night. But this season, Detroit swept New York 3-0 in the regular season, and that is where the “Knicks killer” label actually comes from.
Knicks vs Pistons East Finals: What Makes This Matchup Different in 2026
That regular season sweep is what Williams is pointing to. The Pistons went 31-9 at home this year and have looked like a different team than the one New York eliminated last spring.
This version of New York is harder to dismiss though. Brunson averaged 28 points across 10 playoff games. Miles McBride, stepping in for the injured OG Anunoby, shot 7-for-9 from three in the clinching game against Philadelphia. The Knicks also tied an NBA playoff record with 11 three-pointers in the first quarter of that game.
The series between Detroit and Cleveland currently sits at 2-1 in the Pistons’ favor, with the Cavaliers still alive. The matchup Williams is calling for could absolutely happen.
If it does, the Knicks will have their shot to prove this is a different era in New York, and that no one, not even Cade Cunningham, gets to carry that label into a second straight postseason.
Knicks Get Bold Cade Cunningham Take Before East Finals