New York Knicks lose to the Detroit Pistons 120-111: Another slow Saturday

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The New York Knicks never found their footing against the Detroit Pistons, losing 120-111. New York looked flat early and never fully recovered.

The Knicks were missing Karl-Anthony Towns, and it showed. Their offensive flow looked broken as everyone faced tighter pressure and help defense without a shooting threat at center. Meanwhile, the Pistons shot lights out against another lackluster night of three-point defense from New York.

By the end of the first, the Knicks trailed by 16 points. They bit into that lead over the next two quarters but never truly took momentum. When they needed stops in the fourth quarter, they gave up three-pointers instead, as Detroit ran away with the win.

Every Knicks struggled somewhere but looked for ways to contribute. So, let’s look at the individuals’ work.

Notable Performances

Strong but flawed performances at the top

Jalen Brunson: 31 PTS (11/ 21 FG, 3/7 3PT, 6/9 FT), 10 AST, 4 REB, 1 STL, 5 TO in 44 mins

While a 31-point double-double is always impressive, Jalen Brunson’s dealt with the added stress of constant trapping and double-teams from Detroit. Detroit’s pressure forced him into multiple turnovers early, and he picked up more as the game wore on.