Detroit Pistons embarrassed by New York Knicks, 128-98, at home

VaselineNovember 2, 2024

3 3 minutes read

Detroit Pistons embarrassed by New York Knicks, 128-98, at home

Midway through the second quarter, the Detroit Pistons had more turnovers (10) than field goals (9).

That statistic sums up a game that was over almost as soon as it started. The Pistons trailed by 26 points in the first quarter and lost to the New York Knicks 128-98 at Little Caesars Arena. They scored seven times and shot 6-for-21 in a disorganized opening period, seeing the Knicks hold a big lead while some fans were still finding their seats. In the second half, the Pistons trailed by as many as 38.

The Pistons had no answer for Jalen Brunson, who scored 26 of his 36 points in the first half. Cade Cunningham led the Pistons with 22 points and 6 rebounds, and Tobias Harris added 13 points, eight rebounds, three assists and three blocks.

JB Bickerstaff looks for spark, changes rotation

With the Pistons struggling in the first half, head coach JB Bickerstaff sat deeper on his bench and debuted a lineup he hadn’t yet tried.

Malik Beasley came on for Jalen Duren midway through the second period and formed a small lineup that also included Cunningham, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Marcus Sasser, plus Harris in the middle. The match was already getting out of hand, but the switch did yield some results. The Pistons won the second quarter 33-30, shooting 14-for-21 (66.7%) after knocking down just 28.6% of their looks in the first quarter.

The five-out spacing opened things up for Cunningham, who scored 10 points in the second inning on 5-for-5 shooting.

Sasser, who had played just 21 minutes in two games Friday, played nearly 10 minutes in the second and closed out the game in the fourth. The sophomore guard, who is capable of hot streaks from three-point range, made just one shot — a transition layup — on two attempts and finished with two points.

The Knicks led by as many as 33 points in the first half, thanks to fast shooting (52.9% overall, 9-for-17 from 3) and poor play from the Pistons (16 points on 11 Pistons turnovers). Their turnover problems were, as usual, the result of avoidable bad passes.

Pistons adjust Isaiah Stewart’s offensive role

Through the first few weeks of the season, Stewart was the Pistons’ best defensive player. His energy off the bench was transformative on Wednesday, as he collected seven points, 11 rebounds and three blocks to help the Pistons beat the Philadelphia 76ers for their first victory.

Offensively, however, things went a bit slower. Stewart spent his first four seasons honing his three-point shot, shooting 38.3% from last season. Over the past two seasons, he averaged four three-point attempts per game. This season, however, he has all but given up on the shot.

Stewart had made just one three-pointer in the five games entering Friday. The coaching staff has asked him to roll to the basket instead of diving behind the arc. The opportunities weren’t there.

“That’s all my fault,” Bickerstaff said Wednesday. “We asked him to roll because we’ve been playing with a lot of four-out spacing. When he pops up, he often dives into different coverage and changes the distance a bit, so I’ve asked him to roll to the basket a little more to start the season. If we keep moving this thing forward, we’ll find ways to get him back into space where he can continue to make that shot because he’s able to knock it down.

Friday was a change, as Stewart popped, finishing with two three-point attempts (though he missed both). Due to his lack of size and jumping ability, Stewart may struggle to finish shots at the rim. He’s not a high-volume three-point shooter either, but he’s an effective weapon that the coaching staff will look to utilize more.

Contact Omari Sankofa II at [email protected]. Follow him @omarisankofa.

VaselineNovember 2, 2024

3 3 minutes read