The Detroit Pistons embarrassed the New York Knicks, 128-98, at home

On November 2, 2024By Littum

Midway through the second quarter, the Detroit Pistons had more turnovers (10) than made field goals (9).

That statistic sums up a game that was over almost as soon as it started. The Pistons trailed by 26 points in the first quarter and lost to the New York Knicks, 128-98, at Little Caesars Arena. They committed seven turnovers and shot 6-for-21 in a disorganized opening period, spotting the Knicks with a blown lead as some fans were still finding their seats. In the second half, the Pistons trailed by as many as 38.

The Pistons had no answer for Jalen Brunson, who scored 26 of his 36 points in the first half. Cade Cunningham led the Pistons with 22 points and 6 rebounds, and Tobias Harris added 13 points, eight rebounds, three assists and three blocks.

JB Bickerstaff looking for spark, changes rotation

With the Pistons struggling in the first half, head coach JB Bickerstaff went deeper on his bench and debuted a lineup he had yet to try.

Malik Beasley substituted for Jalen Duren midway through the second period and formed a small lineup with Cunningham, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Marcus Sasser, plus Harris in the middle. The game was already out of hand, but the switch produced some results. The Pistons won the second quarter, 33-30, shooting 14-for-21 (66.7%) after hitting just 28.6% of their looks in the first.

The five-out gap opened things up for Cunningham, who scored 10 points in the second on 5-for-5 shooting.

Sasser, who had played just 21 minutes in two games into Friday, played nearly 10 minutes in the second and closed out the game in the fourth. The second-year guard, capable of hot streaks from 3-point range, made just one shot — a transition layup — on two attempts and finished with two points.

The Knicks led by as many as 33 in the first half, thanks to hot shooting (52.9% overall, 9-for-17 from 3) and lackluster play by the Pistons (16 points off 11 Pistons turnovers). As usual, their turnover problems were due to avoidable bad passes.

Stamps adjusts Isaiah Stewart’s offensive role

Through the first few weeks of the season, Stewart has been the Pistons’ best defender. His energy off the bench was transformative on Wednesday as he collected seven points, 11 rebounds and three blocks to help the Pistons defeat the Philadelphia 76ers for their first win.

Offensively, however, things have slowed down a bit. Stewart spent his first four seasons honing his 3-point shot, shooting 38.3% from deep last season. Over his last two seasons, he’s averaged about four 3-point attempts per game. match. This season, however, he has almost given up on the shot.

Stewart had made just one 3-pointer in five games entering Friday. The coaching staff has told him to roll to the basket instead of jumping behind the arc. The opportunities have not been there.

“It’s all on me,” Bickerstaff said Wednesday. “We’ve asked him to roll because we’ve been playing with a lot of four-out gaps. A lot of times when he jumps, he ducks into a different coverage and that changes the distance a little bit, so I’ve asked him to roll to the basket a little more to start the season. If we continue to move this thing forward, we’re going to find ways to get him back into space where he can continue to make that shot because he’s able to knock it down.”

Friday was a shift as Stewart jumped and finished with two 3-point attempts (though he missed both). Due to his lack of size and leaping ability, Stewart may struggle to finish shots at the rim. He’s also not a high-volume 3-point shooter, but is an effective weapon that the coaching staff will look to tap into more.

Contact Omari Sankofa II at [email protected]. Follow him @omarisankofa.