The New York Knicks securing the No. 3 seed in the East set up a first-round playoff date with the Pistons. It will be Detroit's first postseason appearance since 2019, but the team hasn't won a playoff game since 2008.
Vibes are high with the Pistons and their fan base. They're the underdogs, but that doesn't matter, or at least it didn't in the regular season. New York went 1-3 against Detroit, a record that has led many to pick the Pistons over the Knicks, but the playoffs are a different beast.
Malik Beasley is gearing up for his first postseason appearance with Detroit after signing a one-year deal worth over six million in free agency. He knows a thing or two about one of the Knicks' stars -- Karl-Anthony Towns. Beasley was in Minnesota from 2019 to 2022.
When the guard was asked about going up against KAT, he said, "I'm not worried about KAT. I don't worry about KAT. I'm not even thinking of him." Beasley added, "He's the least of my worries."
“I’m not worried about KAT. I don’t think about KAT… he is the LEAST of my worries.”
— Woodward Sports Network (@woodwardsports) April 17, 2025
- Malik Beasley on New York Knicks star Karl-Anthony Towns pic.twitter.com/yEShahR0mw
Beasley gives KAT bulletin board material ahead of Knicks-Pistons series
Beasley hasn't been with the Pistons for long, but has fully embraced the 'Detroit vs. Everybody' mentality. He wrote a piece about it for The Player's Tribune, noting that his mother was born and raised in Detroit, which gave him a special connection to the city.
He was never going to stand in front of the media and say the Pistons are worried about going up against Towns. He was never going to admit to having any concerns about playing his former Timberwolves teammate. Why would Beasley do that?
What he did, though, was give Towns and the Knicks bulletin board material. New York doesn't rely on external motivation, but that doesn't mean KAT won't use Beasley's words as fuel.
Beasley likes to talk trash; it's nothing new for him. You need to be able to take it on the chin if you dish it out, though. Beasley couldn't do that last week when they played the Bucks. Giannis Antetokounmpo blocked one of the guard's three-point attempts and proceeded to shimmy over him (Beasley's signature move) before offering to help him up. Beasley didn't like that.
Let someone stand over you, hit your ish , then try to help me up .. in what world would you let that slide in? Idc how goofy he is lol
— Malik Beasley (@mbeasy5) April 12, 2025
Giannis loves to troll (he is goofy), but Beasley didn't like how the interaction went down. The two have since "worked things out," but not without some drama first.
Less than a week later, Beasley decided to take a shot at Towns. The Knicks center doesn't love to troll the way that Giannis does, but it will be KAT's first postseason appearance in New York. He could come out hot in front of the electric MSG energy that is impossible not to feel.
Odds are that Towns won't pull a Giannis and hit Beasley's shimmy celebration, but if he does, maybe the guard will have a problem with it (again), giving him a reason to worry about KAT after all.