Arguably, the New York Knicks was Detroit PistonsToughest game of the season. The Pistons had already lost to them four times this season prior to Sunday, including once during the preseason and three times during the regular season. Three of those losses were by at least 20 points.
The Knicks completed the regular season sweep at Little Caesars Arena on Sunday, defeating the Pistons, 117-104. The Pistons were without leading scorer Bojan Bogdanovic, who sat out with a non-COVID illness, but Isaiah Stewart recovered from a three-game absence with left shoulder soreness. Jalen Doren missed his fifth consecutive game due to soreness in his right ankle.
Other greats and forwards in Stewart and Detroit couldn’t slow Julius Randle, who blasted off with 42 points and 15 rebounds while hitting 15 of his 24 shots. Randle enjoyed playing the Pistons in Detroit: During their final game – on Randle’s 28th birthday – the standout forward stormed out with 36 points in 31 minutes to lead New York to a 140-110 victory.
pistons to it Lost 12 in a row for the Knicks In the regular season, the last win is coming on November 6, 2019. The Pistons had previously won eight straight versus New York, prior to this losing streak.
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Sadiq Bey (21 points, six rebounds) and Jaden Ivey (21 points going 7-for-19, six rebounds, six assists) lead the Pistons (12-35, Third worst in the NBA) In the scoring column, Kevin Knox made 16 points on 5-for-6 shooting with three three-pointers off the bench. Isaiah Livers, who had his first start since Dec. 1, added 11 points, and Killian Hayes had a double-double with nine points (4-for-14) and nine assists.
Detroit trailed by as much as 20 points at halftime, but closed out the second quarter with a 15-4 lead to cut the halftime deficit to 62-55. The Pistons got to within seven again midway through the fourth quarter, after the Livers sank their third-pointer of the night to extend a 16–5 Pistons lead. In the end, the Pistons struggled to make up for New York’s size advantage with Doreen and Marvin Bagley III out. The Knicks scored 44 points on goal and outscored the Pistons 52-38 with 18 points on offense.
The Pistons only have one more game to play next week, with a trip to Paris and a date with the Chicago Bulls on Thursday (3 p.m., NBA TV).
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With Bogdanovic out, Bey fills the void
Throughout the season, Bogdanovic was Detroit’s top and most consistent scorer, and was available, with Sunday missing his third game. The Pistons would have had a tough time without him, especially against the Knicks, who they already lost to by a total of 63 points through three regular season games.
But Pai did his best to make up for Bogdanovic’s absence. It was Bay’s third game of the season in which he had at least five seconds, and his fourth consecutive game with at least 17 points. He had an increased role over the past two weeks as the team was plagued by injuries, and earned his fifth straight start.
Bey hit two 3’s in the third quarter, including one with 55 seconds remaining that cut the deficit to 86-80. He finished 5-for-10 in the 3rd and 6-for-14 overall.
Knox offers an effective game
It’s been an up and down season for Kevin Knox, but the fifth-year forward found rhythm against his former team. His 16 points was his highest tally since he scored 17 during a win over the Charlotte Hornets on December 14, and only the second time he’s hit double figures in the month-long playoff streak since that win.
While Knox’s minutes and role have fluctuated based on the Pistons’ injury report, he’s been quietly having a solid offensive season. Entering Sunday, he shot 45.3% overall and 35.6% from 3. Sunday was his fifth time of the season where he achieved at least three seconds. He stepped forward to help the Pistons overcome Bogdanovic’s absence.
Check out the latest episode of “The Pistons Pulse” podcast, with Free Press win writer Omari Sankofa II and former Division I player and current analyst Bryce Simon. Listen an AppleAnd Spotify Or wherever you upload podcasts.