The NBA playoff schedule is set after a thrilling regular-season finale on Sunday. The New York Knicks beat the Nets, 113-105, with Mikal Bridges playing for only six seconds to extend his incredible games played streak. New York secured the No. 3 seed on Friday, so the Knicks didn't have much to play for on Sunday.
The team will have five full days off before their first-round playoff matchup against the Pistons begins on Saturday. New York finished the regular season with a 1-3 record against Detroit, leading many to proclaim that the Pistons will advance to the semifinals over the Knicks. No win comes easy in the postseason, especially when you go up against a gritty, physical team like Detroit.
The Knicks have homecourt advantage as the higher seed, meaning Games 1, 2, 5 (if needed), and 7 (if needed) will be at MSG. Games 3, 4, and 6 (if needed) will be at Little Caesars Arena. The Pistons have a passionate fan base, and this year's squad has given them plenty to cheer for. Fans are eager to witness Detroit's first playoff win since 2008.
New York is used to having a lot of fans in opposing arenas, and the playoffs are no different. Knicks fans took over Wells Fargo Center in the first round last year. The proximity between New York and Philadelphia helped, but many Knicks fans would've made the trip regardless. Fans hoping to do the same this year are facing a roadblock, thanks to the Pistons.
Pistons claim they're not trying to keep Knicks fans away from Detroit
Detroit restricted its playoff tickets for Games 3, 4, and 6 to buyers who have a credit card with a mailing address in Michigan, and certain parts of Ohio, Indiana, and Ontario, Canada (per Ticketmaster).
Knicks fans who don't live in those areas and want to attend one of the games at Little Caesars Arena will have to get creative. The best bet is to buy tickets off of people, but that'll be hard, considering most of them will be Pistons fans. People who won't be able to make one of the games in Detroit (for whatever reason) will try to sell their tickets to Pistons fans.
A Detroit spokesman told the New York Post that the move isn't to keep Knicks fans out, but instead, to create a better experience for fans:
“We implemented geo-fencing for two main reasons. First, we saw a high volume of ticket brokers attempting to buy up large blocks of tickets — especially the more affordable options — during our presale,” a Pistons spokesman told The Post. “Second, like many teams and organizations across the entertainment industry, we continue to face ongoing threats of fraud. Geo-fencing is one of the tools used to help protect against that and ensure a better experience for our fans."
The spokesman said that Detroit doesn't have a reason to worry about Knicks fans taking Little Caesars Arena over like other teams.
It's up to fans whether to believe that or not.