The Detroit Pistons picked up their biggest win of the season so far
Playing with limited rest on the tail end of a back-to-back with multiple starters out of the lineup, the Pistons had a few obstacles in their way when facing the New York Knicks tonight. But as they’ve shown all season long, Detroit has a tendency to pull out all the stops when their backs are against the wall, and the Pistons’ 31-point victory over the Knicks was a clear signature win for this team.
In the third quarter, Pistons point guard Cade Cunningham threw a big alley-oop to Paul Reed to bring the playoff-like crowd to their feet. Cunningham cracked a smile as he jogged back down the court, and that’s the moment the Pistons mentally defeated the Knicks.
A couple possessions later, Detroit battled hard for a key offensive rebound, Cunningham hit a big three-pointer and the Pistons’ 22-point second half lead began to look insurmountable. Less than a minute later, Cunningham lurked for an even bigger chase-down block, and all New York thoughts of a comeback were extinguished.
Detroit’s All-Star point guard finished the contest with 29 points and 13 assists on a night that demonstrated his ability in conducting the Pistons’ offense without his usual array of weapons. Cunningham spread the ball around and was able to ride the hot hand with the help of an active defense to a huge double-digit victory over another dangerous playoff-caliber squad.
"Just trying to make the right play and be the best I could for my team," Cunningham said after the game. "I knew, like I said, having guys down that contribute so much, the team's going to look for me for my energy. So, I just wanted to start on a good note and spark some life into the team."
With the crowd booing Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson every time he touched the basketball, the Pistons defense did a quality job disrupting his day at the office from a playmaking standpoint. Though Brunson scored 25 points on the night, the Knicks’ All-Star point guard had zero assists all game long.
Even without Duren in the lineup, the Pistons big men– largely Isaiah Stewart– bothered Karl-Anthony Towns all night long as well. KAT finished the night with just six points on four shots in a night that pales in comparison to his season averages.
From a defensive perspective, the Pistons showed a level of competitiveness that the Knicks simply could not match. As a team, New York only logged seven steals and three blocks. The Pistons, on the other hand, recorded 12 steals and 11 blocks in an energetic, tenacious response from the Eastern Conference’s top team.
Going into the break at halftime, Pistons guard Jaden Ivey spoke with the Peacock broadcast team about what Detroit needed to do in order to secure a victory in the second half. Replying with a smile, Ivey foreshadowed how the rest of the game would unfold.
“Play exactly how we’re playing,” Ivey said.
That’s what the Pistons did. Ivey had another strong performance off the bench with 16 points in 22 minutes, and Javonte Green had another big 17-point effort in relief of the Pistons’ starters when called upon.
As a whole, the Pistons created a big advantage for points in the paint and ended the game with an 18-point edge in that category. Detroit was active in clogging the passing lanes and disrupting the Knicks at the point of attack, and this approach led to numerous quick transition buckets for the Pistons in what was a statement win in the Eastern Conference.
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