How It Happened:Stan Van Gundy’s starting lineup adjustment paid off in two straight games. In the win over Cleveland, Van Gundy placed Tobias Harris with the starters and the Pistons upended the Cavs. On Saturday night, Harris scored 11 in the first quarter while his squad jumped out to 35-23 first quarter lead. The Knicks managed to cut the lead to three points in the third quarter and single digits in the fourth but were unable to complete the comeback bid. Harris led Detroit with a season-high 28 points and Andre Drummond was dominant with 24 points and 15 boards in the win. The Pistons now own a 2-1 series lead over the Knicks this season.
Knick of the Night: Kristaps Porzingis scored a team-high 18 points to go along with six boards, four assists, and six swats. Notables:Willy Hernangomez earned the start tonight at the power forward position and finished with 14 points and nine rebounds. Courtney Lee posted 13 points and Chasson Randle contributed 12 points off the pine.
News and Notes: Carmelo Anthony is five points shy of reaching the 10,000 points mark while wearing a Knicks uniform. Currently, Anthony sits in seventh on the franchise’s all-time scoring list.
Statistically Speaking:The Pistons outrebounded the Knicks (51-44), outscored them in the paint (50-26), and registered 12 fastbreak points in the win.
Next Up: The Knicks return to New York but will finish the road trip in Brooklyn in the second of a back-to-back on Sunday night. Watch all the action on MSG Network as they face the Nets at 6 PM.