How It Happened: Seeking their consecutive wins, the Knicks offense was firing on all cylinders to start the contest at MSG. With the game tied 33-33 at the 8:38 mark of the second quarter, New York blitzed the visiting Pistons on a 13-6 run to create some separation. The Knicks never trailed again and overpowered Detroit even as the road squad welcomed back All-Star center Andre Drummond to the lineup. Down the stretch, the Pistons managed to cut the lead to three points with 3.6 seconds on the game clock. New York attempted to foul before the final shot but Kentavious Caldwell-Pope fired a 3-pointer at the buzzer that just missed the mark. The Knicks are now nearing .500 by improving to 5-6 on the season while Detroit fell to just 1-6 on the road.
Knick of the Night: “The Unicorn” dominated from start to finish in tonight’s victory. Porzingis scored 25 of his career-high 35 points in the first half by spacing the floor, running in transition, and executing in the half-court offense. By shooting 13-of-22 from the floor and hitting three bombs from downtown, Porzingis showcased his all-around offensive skill set. In addition to the 35 points, he added seven boards, three assists, and a blocked shot to an impressive final stat line in the box score.
Notables: Anthony rarely plays second fiddle in the scoring department. However, the All-Star hit timely shots and was extremely efficient, sinking 52.9 percent of his shots from the floor and 4-of-6 behind the arc. Another Knick that made a significant impact was Joakim Noah as he hauled down a game-high 15 boards.
Statistically Speaking: The Knicks only allowed 12 free throw attempts from the Pistons, they outscored Detroit 44-40 in the paint, and dominated the glass 52-40.
Next Up: The Knicks will jump on a train directly after the game and head to Washington D.C. Tomorrow night, New York will face the Wizards on their home floor for the first time this season in a second of a back-to-back. Tipoff set for 7 PM on MSG Network.
