DETROIT >> Full of excitement and adrenaline, coach J.B. Bickerstaff was adamant when stating that he likes the Detroit Pistons’ chances against any team in the playoffs. His statement came after the Pistons’ 115-106 comeback victory over the New York Knicks on Thursday night at Little Caesars Arena.

“Everything we do starts with our willingness to compete on the defensive end of the floor, and that’s what makes us unique,” Bickerstaff said. “We’re not like your typical NBA team. That’s not who we are, and we can’t afford to play that way. But if it comes down to grit, toughness and competition, I like our chances.”

With the win, the Pistons entered Friday’s contest against the Milwaukee Bucks (incomplete at press time for this edition) sitting as the No. 6 seed in the Eastern Conference with a 44-36 record. They needed wins in their final two games against the Bucks to leapfrog their Central Division rival for the fifth seed.

If that doesn’t happen, they will be locked in as the sixth seed. Meanwhile, the Knicks and Indiana Pacers remain in a tight race for third place in the conference. The Pacers (49-31) need to win their last two games to surpass New York (50-30).

Many developments are still needed before the Pistons can focus on their first-round opponent, either the Knicks or the Pacers. However, when it comes to winning their first postseason series since 2008, Detroit will rely on its defensive identity to enhance its chances of advancing to the second round.

“I think whoever we play in the playoffs, it’s going to be feisty,” rookie forward Ron Holland II said. “That’s just how we play. We bring that Detroit Bad Boys, that Detroit grit to every single game that we play, and if New York is the team that we end up playing, we’re going to bring it every night.”

There is a slim chance that the playoff picture will change before the end of the regular season, and the Pistons are likely to face the Knicks in the first round. Detroit won the four-game regular-season series against New York 3-1, having won three consecutive games against the Knicks, including a sweep at Madison Square Garden.

Cade Cunningham’s All-NBA-worthy performance spearheaded the Pistons’ dominance over the Knicks this season, but New York struggled mightily against Detroit’s defense. During a 9-0 run in their comeback win, the Pistons’ defense held the Knicks scoreless for four minutes late in the fourth quarter.

New York shot 0-of-4 from the field and committed three turnovers during the stretch. Detroit forced the Knicks into 17 turnovers, which tied for the fourth-highest of the season.

However, Detroit’s defensive play in the final minutes was more than a small sample size, as the Knicks were without three of their core players in OG Anunoby, Josh Hart and Mitchell Robinson. In each of the Pistons’ three victories against New York, Detroit produced a defensive rating of 113.9 while limiting the Knicks to a scoring average of 112.0 points on 49.8% shooting from the field and 35.2% on 3-point shooting.

Isaiah Stewart made Karl-Anthony Towns a non-factor during their one-on-one matchup, holding the All-Star big man to 2-for-7 shooting from the field.

“That’s Detroit basketball,” Towns said. “They play physical basketball, and they upped their physicality in the second half. (We) just didn’t do enough to win the game, including myself. So, take responsibility and move on to the next one.”

The Pistons have performed better against the Knicks this season compared to their matchups against the Pacers, in which Detroit lost the regular-season series, 3-1. But instead of monitoring the standings and seeking a more favorable opponent, Bickerstaff’s focus is on ensuring his team is ready for Game 1 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals.

Prior to defeating the Knicks to close their regular-season series, the Pistons were on a slight losing skid, having dropped four of their last five games.

A victory over New York not only provided the Pistons a psychological edge over the Knicks in a potential first-round series, but Detroit also sent a clear message to the rest of the conference that they will depend on their defensive play to extend their postseason beyond the first round.

“I like our chances against anybody,” Bickerstaff said. “I like the way our guys compete. I like the way our guys scrap. It is going to take us some time to experience some things. I think we are built for playoff basketball. But you still have to find that experience in all of that.”