Reggie Miller, Stan Van Gundy have similar reason for predicting Knicks survive tough Pistons test

Longtime Garden nemesis Reggie Miller is picking the Knicks to take their first-round playoff series against the Pistons, but his prediction Friday came with a stern warning.“This is going to be a fun series to watch.I just hope the Knicks respect them and don’t overlook them.

Because if they do, then we could be looking at an upset,” Miller said in response to a question from The Post on a TNT conference call.“Experience, to me, matters.

And I know everyone is saying it, but No.1, I don’t think this is going to be an easy series for New York. “I do think they will end up winning this series.

But this is what they cannot do: They cannot overlook Detroit just because of the experience factor.” Miller obviously knows a thing or two about late-game playoff heroics — particularly against the Knicks at MSG — and the Hall of Fame shooting guard also called Jalen Brunson “probably the best clutch player in our game.”He added that he expects the All-Star point guard will be named the NBA’s Clutch Player of the Year, an award won last year by Stephen Curry. Fellow TNT analyst Stan Van Gundy also expects the Knicks to win a tough first-round set against budding star Cade Cunningham and upstart Detroit. “Look, Detroit is good.… This team has, I think, surprised everybody and has been very, very good,” Van Gundy said.

“But I’m with Reggie, I think New York, not only in experience, it’s [Karl-Anthony] Towns.I think to me, you’re gonna go with Brunson, Towns, and Cade Cunningham.

I look at it and say, ‘Who are the top five or six players in that series?’ And I’m probably taking New York four of the top five or five of the top six. “New York has not defended the way you would expect a New York team for most of the year.But they’ve been a little better lately, they’re getting healthy, and OG Anunoby is playing the best basketball of his career.

That team, like Reggie said, it’s got experience.It’s got toughness.

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