Three quick observations from Tuesday night’s 105-91 loss to the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden
TOO MANY DROUGHTS – As poorly as the Pistons shot the basketball in the first half, to get to halftime trailing by 11 points was a minor victory and kept them in the game. It all evaporated in the first two minutes of the third quarter, when the Knicks scored on five straight possessions and the Pistons went scoreless. New York doubled its lead to 22 and that appeared to be game, set and match. The Pistons got it back to 11 by the end of the third quarter and surged within five three minutes into the fourth, the charge led by Saben Lee and Trey Lyles off the bench. But the 22-point lead the Knicks built in the early third quarter gave them enough of a cushion to push back on Pistons momentum.
The Pistons went more than five minutes without a basket, scoring just one free throw in that stretch, late in the first quarter when New York went on a 13-1 run to take the lead for good. The Pistons missed 10 straight shots and at one point they were 1 of 13 from the 3-point line. They got to halftime at 35.6 percent overall and 17.6 percent from three. When New York pulled away late, the Pistons had another dry spell, missing nine straight shots, breaking the streak on a Saddiq Bey triple after the Knicks had rebuilt their lead to 15.
A NEED FOR BEEF – The Pistons made an interesting choice with their defensive assignments, sticking center Isaiah Stewart on New York’s best scorer, Julius Randle. Randle’s a challenge because of his ball handling and shooting ability in combination with his strength, quickness and bulk. Putting Stewart on Randle, New York’s scoring leader at 19.6 points a game, left Saddiq Bey to guard Knicks center Nerlens Noel. When Mitchell Robinson replaced Noel, Stewart switched to guard him and Bey slid over the check Randle. Stewart continues to exert himself as a rebounder and putting him on Randle is an acknowledgment of his growing defensive prowess. Perhaps to keep Stewart away from Randle, the Knicks altered their lineup to start the second half, using Robinson over Noel. Stewart, who came into the game averaging 9.7 points and 10.3 rebounds over his last nine games, had another double-figures rebounding game with 11 boards to go with nine points.
MAN DOWN – The Pistons played without Killian Hayes, not for his injured left thumb – which has caused him to miss five games over two separate stints this season – but for a non-COVID illness. Cory Joseph started in his place and gave the Pistons their only efficient scoring of the first half, when he scored 10 points on 4 of 4 shooting. While Joseph hit both of his 3-point attempts, his teammates were a combined 1 of 15 in the first half. Joseph finished with 15 points in 25 minutes, hitting 6 of 8 shots and all three of his 3-point attempts. Saben Lee, who had recently moved into the rotation ahead of Joseph, was instrumental in the second-half rally and helped the Pistons push the pace to produce some easy baskets. He finished with 16 points and three assists. Trey Lyles scored all 13 of his points in the second half.