Very little has gone wrong for the Eastern Conference-leading Detroit Pistons this season, but things didn’t their way leading up to a Friday showdown against the streaking New York Knicks.
The Pistons lost at home to the lowly Washington Wizards 126-117 on Thursday, and now they host the Knicks, who have won eight straight.
On top of that, the Pistons are dealing with some key injuries. Detroit’s All-Star center, Jalen Duren, missed the second half on Thursday due to right knee soreness, and forward Tobias Harris sat out the entire game due to left hip soreness.
Coach J.B. Bickerstaff was disappointed that his team didn’t take the Wizards, who had only 10 players available, seriously enough.
“No matter what your opponent’s record might be, if you don’t play to that standard, these NBA players will put themselves in a position to win, and that’s what happened tonight,” he said.
The Pistons trailed by 21 midway through the second quarter and never caught up despite making several runs. Washington had eight players score in double figures.
Kevin Huerter made his Pistons debut but went scoreless in six minutes. The veteran guard was acquired from the Chicago Bulls on Tuesday with the hope he can give Detroit another reliable shooter off the bench. Entering play on Thursday, Huerter was considered questionable due to a back injury.
“I just wanted to give him an opportunity to get on the court,” Bickerstaff said. “Obviously, being down some bodies, there were minutes available. Just want to get him out there as much as we can and try to work his way into some sort of rhythm with this group. Find his opportunity so he can get comfortable. These in-season trades aren’t always easy to find those opportunities.”
The Pistons, who are wrapping up a four-game homestand, had won 12 of their previous 15 games.
The Knicks extended their winning streak in thrilling fashion, defeating Denver 134-127 in double overtime on Wednesday. All-Star guard Jalen Brunson led the way with 42 points and nine assists.
“On a big stage, he showed why, again, he should be mentioned as one of the first guys, if anybody is talking about an MVP candidate, he should be one of the first ones mentioned,” coach Mike Brown said. “Big, big game by him.”
New York was coming off a 132-101 romp over Washington the previous night. Brunson was among three New York players who logged at least 47 minutes in the second game of a back-to-back.
“What a ballgame,” Brown said. “Our team just showed a lot of grit, a lot of fight in this win. Just a resilient win by our guys.”
All but one of the Knicks’ previous victories during the current streak was decided by double digits.
The series between the Knicks and Pistons has taken a dramatic turn. New York won 16 consecutive matchups against the Pistons before Detroit finally ended the streak in December 2024.
The Pistons have now won the past four meetings, including a 120-91 thrashing last month, when host Detroit outscored New York 57-36 in the second half. Cunningham led the way with 29 points and 13 assists, and three Pistons reserves also reached double figures. Brunson topped the Knicks with 25 points.
