"After winning its first playoff game in almost 20 years, the first-place Pistons have been one of this season's biggest surprises behind the play of Most Valuable Player candidate Cade Cunningham and a gritty top-tier defense. The Knicks, who are three games behind Detroit, are the newly crowned NBA Cup champions, led by the steady Brunson, but they are supplemented by a bench that has already provided a few clutch moments."
"Which East contender has the edge in the race for the top seed? Which teams below them could join the conversation in a wide-open conference? Is Monday an East finals preview? Ahead of the first of three meetings this season, we're tackling five questions on the Knicks, the Pistons and the top of the East race, including how each team could attack the Feb. 5 trade deadline."
"When the Knicks fired Tom Thibodeau after the franchise's deepest playoff run since 1999, the mandate in New York became clear: It's NBA Finals or bust. And once the Knicks hired Mike Brown after a long coaching search, the two-time Coach of the Year made it clear that his rotations would lean more into the team's reserves and youth, a strategy that was also an internal emphasis, sources told ESPN."
Detroit has secured its first playoff victory in nearly 20 years and sits first in the East behind Cade Cunningham, who is an MVP candidate, and a top-tier defensive unit. New York trails Detroit by three games and holds the NBA Cup title, led by Jalen Brunson and a bench that has produced important clutch moments. The Eastern Conference appears wide open, prompting questions about which team will claim the top seed and which other clubs might enter the conversation. New York replaced Tom Thibodeau with Mike Brown, shifting rotations toward reserves and younger players to address depth concerns.
Read at ESPN.com
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