Detroit Pistons forward Tobias Harris provided the New York Knicks with some bulletin board material ahead of Thursday’s pivotal Game 3.
Harris seemed to question the Knicks’ toughness during a media session Thursday morning. The veteran faced the Knicks in the playoffs last year as a member of the Philadelphia 76ers, and was asked what differences he sees between last year’s New York team and this year’s.
“It’s a different dynamic, for sure,” Harris said with a smirk, via Jared Schwartz of the New York Post. “That’s all I’m gonna say. … It’s part of our gameplan.”
The implication certainly appears to be that the Knicks are not as tough this year as they were last season. The Pistons have made their own toughness a point of pride all season, hence Harris’ suggestion that outworking the Knicks is “part of our gameplan.”
Last year’s Knicks team leaned on the likes of Donte DiVincenzo and Isaiah Hartenstein to provide some grit and toughness. Both of those players are gone now, and there are questions about how well the team can take a metaphorical punch this year, especially against a physical team like Detroit.
The Pistons have arguably outplayed the Knicks in the first two games of their Eastern Conference first round series. They split two games at Madison Square Garden, but the Knicks required a 21-0 fourth quarter run to rally in a Game 1 win.
The Knicks will need to win at least one game in Detroit to avoid falling into a dire situation, and will likely be facing a very hostile environment as they try to do so. Perhaps an opponent outright questioning their toughness will be an additional motivating factor for them.
