Ausar Thompson returned from his one-game absence with a rolled ankle, but Isaiah Joe’s bruised rear end needed more rest. They needed Joe’s shooting as Detroit struggled mightily after the first quarter and would go on to lose to the Knicks tonight.
Things started great for Detroit in the first quarter. It turned into an early block party with six total blocks in the quarter for the Pistons. Paul Reed had 13 points and Cade added nine points to go along with six assists. Detroit held a 38-25 lead
after the first, but that was pretty much the end of their efficient offense.
The Pistons managed to shoot just 3-for-21 in the second quarter. They were outscored by 14 by the Knicks, and New York took a 51-50 lead heading into halftime. Reed and Cunningham combined for 31 points and 13 rebounds.
Things got worse in the third as Paul Reed picked up an early 5th foul, and John Collins’ head bounced off the hardwood after wrestling for a rebound with Karl-Anthony Towns. By the end of the third, Detroit was down 25 points as the Knicks held an 88-63 lead. If you combine the scoring of the two middle quarters, Detroit was outscored 63-25.
The Pistons did their best to claw back in the final frame, but the 25-point deficit was too big. They were able to make it an 11-point game with two-and-a-half minutes left, but the Knicks would hold on to win 111-97.
Cunningham almost had a triple-double with 19 points, nine rebounds, and eight assists. Reed finished with a team-high 22 points and nine rebounds. Detroit shot 42% from the field and 24% from three. Duncan Robinson, Javonte Green, and Daniss Jenkins combined to shoot 4-for-22 from deep. It just wasn’t Detroit’s night.
Let me end with this: it is absolutely miserable to watch Jalen Brunson play basketball. He loves to initiate contact, flop his head back, then fall to the floor in hopes of a whistle. Embarrassingly enough for the refs, they keep falling for it, too. He’s the smallest guy on the court who plays to find a whistle instead of trying to find a bucket.
If Cade is an ethical hooper, Brunson is as unethical as it gets. Brunson shot 5-for-18 from the field and 0-for-5 from deep, but he attempted a game-high 16 (!!!) free throws to still finish with 23 points. Nobody on the Knicks shot more than four, and nobody on Detroit shot more than five.
Here’s a flopping highlight reel just from tonight:
Yes, I am salty.
The Pistons will fly back to Detroit tonight as they’ll have their first back-to-back of the season when they host the Charlotte Hornets tomorrow night.
Go Stones.
