Keith Smith. He rights for so many different and appears on the front office show at Sports Track and you can follo him on Twitter at Keith Smith NBA. He was with us earlier this year, was fantastic. Had to have him back again and he's with us on this Tuesday morning. Keith, hope you and yours are well. How are you today, I'm doing great.
Thanks for having me.
Yeah, really appreciate you coming on. I am not surprised by the Pistons and Knick series. What has surprised you, if anything, and what's your takeaway in the first two games.
I think the biggest surprise I've had is that Detroit has been able to contain the Knicks offense, and the Knicks offense has been one of the better ones in the league this year. Pistons defense was good, but it's not a great defensive group, but they've been able to really kind of keep them in check and that's allowed them to play in these two close games. And I said it last night, I think both teams are probably waking up this morning thinking we should be up to
Oh it appears Detroit fell apart in Game one. New York feels like they probably have one foot away in Game two and that makes for a pretty good series.
Yeah, I don't disagree with you. I think you know, Kate cunning and Jalen Brunson's been really good obviously, but he had six turnovers yesterday. Kid Cunningham in Game one had a double double, but had six turnovers. And look, I mean, when you handle the ball as much as those guys do, you're going to have some full pause every once in a while. But I think Cunningham has
proved some things, and so is Detroit's youth. Now, I have argued this, Keith, when you look at the amount of playoff experience with Harris and Beasley and Hardaway and Shrewder, that really Detroit is not that untested in postseason play. Why do you think there is a mantra about Detroit's inexperience and that maybe the playoffs would be too much for a young team to adapt to.
Yeah, it's a fair question. I think what people are looking at is they're looking at their main guy, being Kate Cunningham. This is the first go two other starters have never been anywhere near the playoffs either in Durham and Thompson. And then you've got I know Isaiah Stewer was out for Game two, but him Ron Holland that's I still think what people think of when they think of Detroit, because there's still I think some people coming around to they're here, and they didn't get here just
fully homegrown. They made some really smart editions over the last really year or so, getting Harris and Beasley and then getting hard Away and Shruder. Though those guys are really solid pickups, and that's good. Now. The other thing is they don't have a lot of experience in the playoffs together as a group. But it's not like this Knicks team is swimming in experience together either. Townsend Bridges weren't there for them last year. They're figuring it out.
You have just as much in the playoffs as Detroit is.
Yeah, when you looked at Game one and Game two combined, I've argued that I think Detroit's been the better team in at least six of the quarters. Effect the largest defences they had yesterday was just three points, so I thought they were clearly the better team. Every team's going to make a run, as you well know, what do you expect in Game three?
I think it's going to look pretty similar to what it looked like in the first couple of games. I think both teams are gonna be fairly low possession game. It's probably gonna be extremely physical. You're going to see both teams are really trying to get their main guys to the free throw line, both Tounningham and Brunson. They'll run selectively when it's there, when they can kind of push.
And I think the big keys you kind of touched on before is it's the turnovers and then the offensive rebounding. If Detroit can continue to do a good job on the glass, which they did in game Game two, they got twelve offensive rebounds, they held the knicks, it's only seven offensive rebounds. That creates all these extra possessions for you, especially if you can then control the turn and that's huge. So I think it's probably going to look similar the same,
probably not the prettiest basketball you've ever seen. And now I'll also say this, I think Dak crowd is going to be ready to roll for Game three. I think they are going to be fired off and run radio. It's been a long time since they've been in this position in my off series in Detroit, and I think that's gonna be a really fun environment.
Yeah, I do too. Keith Smith joining us. You can follo him on Twitter at Keith Smith NBA. He of Sports Track and the Front Office Show. I do believe in motion can only take you so far. It sure sounded like Madison Square Garden was REVVD up and ready to roll last night too, and then Detroit took them out of it. They've shown me something that the Pistons have. They've shown I think great resolve. They played downhill, they played aggressive, That's why they got to the line thirty
four times last night. And I think they've played for the most part very under control. Who do you credit that to? JB. Bickerstaff, the ve in presence on this team, the younger players growing up before our eyes. Are a combination of all three.
Yeah, gets a little bit of all of it. I think what you see, especially in the playoffs, is when everything kind of gets a little wild. And in each one of these games, there's them moments where things have gotten very This is not as a writer, this is a horrendous grammar, but it got very scrambling where where things are just kind of going a little little crazy. And you saw in game one, maybe Bigger staff was the one. It was like everybody just on the down,
slow down, like let's all relax. In game two with Dennis Shrewder, he went and literally got the balls three or four different times. It was like everybody just settle, like, everybody, take a breath. We don't need to be running around like crazy right now. And I think, I think that's what it is. And then I also think Keith Cunningham is really the very best ball handlers, point guards, lead playmakers, call whatever you want, in which he is one of
That description fits him perfectly. Is when when they really find their way, it's when they're controlling the pace of the game. And he is really getting to the point where if he wants to play fast, the game's going to be played fast. He wants to play slow, the game's going to be played slow. And that's so big for both him and the Pistons.
Yeah, it's very similar to a football game last night. Who dictated tempo? When I thought the Pistons dictated tempo more than the Knicks did. I'm going to ask you this question strictly from a Piston's perspective. I'm not being a homer here. I just want your opinion. I like Jalen Brunson. Is he a flopper, uh.
Slopper, foul dator or whatever you want to call it. Yeah, And there was the point last night where he was no longer even looking to score. He was just trying to get to the free throw line. And that that's when everything kind of gets sideways for me. I know that's when a lot of fans I really get upset and don't really like it. And that's that that's not great.
He is a great player and I love the way he plays, but yeah, there was a point last night in the second half where he would drive it and literally sideways them back to the basket and jumping in the guys and throwing shots up to their credit, the officials were like that, we're not given to see it. What was he got? I think he earned and there were a couple of miss calls where I think he could have got there. I think there are a couple of miss calls that one against the Pistons too, and
that's going to happen in a long game. But yeah, he's definitely a guy who you know, sometimes goes in there looking to win contact versus China's core.
I'm interested to get your take on this because I think Tom Thibodeau's a hell of a coach. I really do. And it's like you said, I mean, the Knicks are good defensively. Detroit fourth and defensive assistency, so you know they're good defensively. Did Tom Thibodeau and the Knicks miss an opportunity with not making I'll use a clichee the proper adjustments to Detroit's hectic, frantic, helter skelter defense that seemed to catch New York off guard throughout the game.
I think they didn't. They didn't. I think there were moments, especially with the turnovers, where that costs them. I think they generated a lot of really good shots and they just didn't make them. You know, Jalen Bronson was kind of had their best day as a shooter and he went four of twelve. You know, Og and Andobi could make shot. Car Anthony Town has been very muted so far. Jalen Durant has done a really good job staying in his airspace and not giving him any room to move
out when he's out on the perimeter. Isaiah Stewart and some of that in Game one, Paul Reid did a nice job with that in his you know, I'll be a limited minute, but I thought he did a really good job of getting getting insane connected to Towns and that's mad. It's off on the Knicks to score. So I think, yeah, I think they're gonna probably come into Game three trying to find a way. We got to free U Karl Anthony Towns more. They can't just be
the Jalen Bronson show. And then the Wings kind of shooting a lot of shots, and those guys are all good. But if you're limiting Towns to eleven field goal attempts and the other guys are taking ten to twenty field goal attempts each year, feeling pretty good about your deepense game plan.
Yeah, he seemed almost disinterested or dispirited. If you will, Keith Smith from Front Office Show and Sports Track joining us here on ex'es and bros. I want your quick thought on some of the other series. It doesn't have to be anything in particular, but a general feeling. Clippers win last night, Kawhi Leonard had thirty nine to even
the series with Denver. Obviously, Minnesota really impressive with twenty one threes in a win over a Lakers team that just didn't look conditioned very well according to JJ Reddick. And then of course the impressive showing by Oklahoma City as well, Boston tested by Orlando for a little bit, and of course Cleveland taking care of business at home as well. Is there anything that has stood out from you that has made you change your mind early on in the first game or two in these NBA playoffs.
Yeah, I think come it's the one where I've probably had the most change of heart so far as the Lakers Wolves series. I think I went into that thinking the Lakers would find enough ways to score points, and they may still it's only one game, but the problems they had defensively with Minnesota, I didn't expect them to be quite that glaring. And then that was huge and they're gonna have to really tighten it up. I mean, they let a lot of open jump shots go thumb.
You know, I'm contested in that first game, and then that that's tough. You're not going to beat a good shooting Wolves team by letting him shoot that much, so I would not with no hand in the face, So that that's a major challenge for them. There, So I'm very curious to see what happens in that that THEO series the rest of the way, and then all the other've kind of gone how I expected. I thought Clippers Nuggets would be a real battle. Let's see what happens.
Is Damian Lillard playing game two not for the Bucks, does that change that series? We don't really know. It's also a little unfair to expect, after he's missed the last month plus to expect Damian lower to come in and just be Damian Millard. It's probably going to take him a little bit of time to kind of get himself going. But yeah, those are the things we're looking for.
That's the fun thing about the playoffs. Get into game two, game three, and you start seeing those adjustments and eventually turn out of the adjustments and just has to be that you play better.
Yeah, Keith dead on there. I actually said before, I think the dark horse is Indiana. I think Indiana is better than people give them credit for. They've been very steady this season. I think they play really well on both sides of the floor. And I just don't think enough people talk about him because of what Cleveland's done on the year and rightfully so in Boston's the defending champion. And then of course the Knicks is a team that
people just seem to gravitate towards. Before I let you go, you just had brought up the Lakers lack of defense, not justifying the trade by any stretch, and you're not either. I am blown away that Nico Harrison, the general manager of the Dallas Mavericks, can be so out of touch to actually admit to the press publicly. I didn't realize the support or passion my words, not his, that Dallas
Mavericks fans had for Luka Doncic. Why does somebody not go to him and say stop talking because you're making things worse in Dallas.
Yeah, that's what I said yesterday. I said, word of advice, no more press conferences, no more talking than me to either work in silence or make a change. When he said that yesterday that he didn't understand how much Luca meant to the city, Yeah, Avericks fans, to me, that's a fireable offense. That is a compln You have no understanding of your team, your organization, your city, and that's that's just wrong. And you were not talking about coming in and trading a guy who is in year fifteen
and doesn't have it left anymore. And here you're going to take the punches because you traded a franchise legend. This is a guy who's not I don't even know that he's hitting his prime years yet, and he's already one of the best players in the world, and you're sitting here saying, oh, yeah, I was surprised that people were so mad, But to me that that would have been enough right then and there, or I would have said if I was running that press conference, if I
was pr would have said it's over, we're done. Then if I was ownership, would have come down the home and said, you're fired. Let's you know, hey, next press conference we have is announcing our next head of basketball operations. Because this guy, it's just very clear to me now he doesn't get it. And you're absolutely right, no more talking. Don't put this guy in front of a microphone again until sometime deep into the offseason.
All right, lastly, and I appreciate the time and the insight. Tom Thibodaux said after the game last night that Brunson is not getting the calls like Cunning is getting the calls. Is that In my opinion it is, but I want I want confirmation from you that's a coach planning a seed for the rest of the series.
Yes, yeah, absolutely so, Bill Jackson. Playbook he's explain about about the officiating and I hope it's swings your way in the next round. It's also a big market. I put playbook there where where it's often a team that gets a ton of attention. You know, those coaches are going to get a lot of play and and you know, sadly, more often than not they seem like they work. The question is that they only going to be a temporary type thing.
Love your insight man. Appreciate the phone call and the chance to chat hoops with you. Keith. To keep up the great work with Front Office, show and sports Track and folks. If you want a good follow when it comes to the NBA, Keith Smith NBA with us here on Exis and bros. Have a great rest of your week, Keith, enjoy the rest of the playoffs. Thanks for the time, buddy, I appreciate it.
Thank you for having me