The No. 3 seed New York Knicks are set to face the No. 6 seed Detroit Pistons in a first-round playoff series that’s already stirring up drama — and not just on the court.
Two franchises with vastly different paths are headed into this matchup with something to prove. For the Knicks, it’s about taking care of business, reaching the second round for a third straight year, and finally unleashing a fully healthy roster they’ve rarely had the chance to use. For Detroit, it’s about marking their return to the playoffs for the first time since 2019, hunting their first postseason win since 2008, and showing they belong.
And, apparently, it’s about keeping Knicks fans out of their building.
Pistons are getting creative to ensure their homecourt advantage
In a surprising move, the Pistons have implemented a policy restricting ticket sales to fans with billing addresses outside the Detroit area. According to the notice on Ticketmaster:
“Orders by customers with a billing address outside the restricted sales area will be canceled without notice, and those customers will receive a refund.”
Sound familiar? It should. The Philadelphia 76ers tried a similar tactic during last year’s playoff series against New York, purchasing 2,000 tickets for local fans ahead of Game 6. That game also happened to be their last of the season.
New York’s fan base is one of the most passionate and well-traveled in sports. They’ve endured the lows of the Phil Jackson era, survived front office chaos, and now rally around a Villanova-powered roster led by Jalen Brunson. Last year, Knicks colors filled Wells Fargo Center despite the Sixers’ efforts. “Let’s Go Knicks” chants echoed not just in Philly but in Orlando, Miami, and even Washington. Regular season or playoffs — it doesn’t matter. Knicks fans show up.
And they’ll likely find a way this time, too. Resale platforms are already listing tickets for as low as $91, making it possible for blue and orange to flood Little Caesars Arena regardless of the Pistons' policy.
Detroit might be trying to crank up the local crowd noise, but if history has shown anything, it’s that Knicks fans are hard to keep out — and even harder to drown out.