Mar 25, 2024; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) looks to shoot a three point shot against the Detroit Pistons during the second quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images / Brad Penner-Imagn Images
You would have a hard time finding an NBA player who doesn’t like playing at Madison Square Garden.
Being a member of the New York Knicks or not, the historic arena tends to bring out the best in athletes as they want to put on a show at The Garden in New York City.
Jalen Brunson has been on both sides playing at MSG. Before joining the Knicks in 2022, Brunson used to visit The Garden once a year as a member of the Dallas Mavericks. Based on playing there in several different circumstances, Brunson looks forward to seeing what another New York playoff run brings this weekend.
“Unbelievable,” Brunson said, describing The Garden. “The atmosphere, the energy, all that is something that you can you can describe, you can talk about, you can tell your friends about, but it’s nothing like it when you experience it. It’s like a story you tell, and everyone’s like, ‘Oh, that’s really cool.’ Then once they go through it, like, ‘Woah.’ That’s how I feel about it.”
The Pistons are no strangers to MSG. They played there twice already this year. Earlier this week, Pistons forward Tobias Harris noted that his team is putting an emphasis on communicating in the tough environment.
“The Garden can get loud,” Harris told reporters. “I know that for sure. It’s good, makes us communicate, makes us understand how we have to talk to each other. We’re NBA players; these types of environments are huge. It’s what we live for. This is how we kind of go out and show people what we’re about.”
Next. Tobias Harris on The Garden. Tobias Harris Reveals Prep for Playoff Matchup vs Knicks. dark
“It’s a special place to play,” Brunson added. “It’s a special place to do anything. I’ve always said MSG is the best place for a sporting event, for a concert, I mean, anything. There are so many memorable things that happen in this arena, and it’s legendary for those reasons.”
The Pistons are 2-0 at MSG this season. With a 3-1 overall record against the Knicks in 2024-2025, there is a lot of upset-hype building around this first-round matchup, which begins on Saturday. However, the Pistons understand they are walking into a different type of crowd, considering the circumstances.
