The Knicks had their three-game win streak snapped, as Blake Griffin and the Pistons delivered a 115-108 loss in Detroit. >> Box score
Things to know about Tuesday's game
1) Coming off the bench, it was Allonzo Trier leading the Knicks with 24 points on 7-of-11 shooting and 9-of-12 from the charity stripe over 30 minutes. He managed a double-double as well with 10 rebounds to go along with seven assists. Trier continues to be impressive as he makes his name among rookies in the NBA.
2) The Knicks couldn't control PF Blake Griffin for the Pistons, who had a game-high 30 points that included 12 free throws on 16 attempts. Stanley Johnson was also a problem off the bench with 20 points, while Reggie Jackson had 21 points with two three-pointers.
3) The Knicks fell into foul trouble in the second half, with three different players fouling out. Mitchell Robinson was out in the third quarter after collecting his six fouls in 16 minutes. He finished with just two points, while Mario Hezonja and Noah Vonleh fouled out, too.
3) In yet another start, Enes Kanter produced a double-double on a tough opponent in Andre Drummond. Kanter had 16 points on an even 50 percent shooting with 14 boards to go along with two assists and a block.
4) Rookie Kevin Knox had a tough night. On the offensive side of the ball, he shot 1-of-8 while going perfect from the free throw line for a mere six points over 15 points. Defensively, he produced three fouls -- one of which should never have happened on a Zaza Pachulia layup. Pachulia had the clear bucket, but Knox decided to hit him on the arm regardless. And to top it off, he had a bad inbound pass on the Knicks' final offensive possession.
5) Damyean Dotson did the most of his 23 minutes on the court, with 17 points on a very efficient 6-of-8 shooting, including a perfect 3-for-3 beyond the arc.
Jake Brown | Twitter |
The Knicks just couldn't knock down shots for most of the night. The time they did it was too little, too late. The only Knick with the knack *Clyde voice* was Trier tonight. He was attacking the rack and getting to the free throw line in one of his best games of his rookie season.
Outside of Trier and Dotson, most of the Knicks couldn't buy a bucket. They also had no answer for Griffin, especially when they had to switch and have smaller guys try and cover him. RIP to that Knicks winning streak.
Having three guys foul out is not going to help your case. The Knicks had 31 fouls in total and played a lot of undisciplined defense. Robinson somehow fouled out in the third quarter, which seems almost impossible to do.
Also, let's be real about Hezonja...he stinks. He should not be in the starting lineup, and he's not part of the future of this team. He just does not have a very high basketball IQ, and makes some bone-headed shots and decisions. Knicks fans wouldn't mind if they can find a way to trade him somewhere, or just get rid of him. Luckily, they only gave him a one-year deal.
For those who want Robinson and Knox to be playing more minutes, they aren't earning it. Robinson has been a nightmare defensively, and Knox looks lost out there. We knew Robinson was going to be a work in progress, but Knox has definitely been a huge disappointment thus far. He's going to need to show David Fizdale something to play him more minutes.
One guy who showed something though and should be back in this rotation is Dotson. This comes after some rumors that he has been drawing some trade interest from teams. Knicks shouldn't be thinking about that unless they get quite the offer.
Highlights from Wednesday's game
.@ISO_ZO finds a way... pic.twitter.com/MmmEAIE1Sf
- NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) November 28, 2018
.@Enes_Kanter rollin' down the middle pic.twitter.com/jf1PsoIstb
- NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) November 28, 2018
WHOLE TEAM pic.twitter.com/KFtoK402tY
- NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) November 28, 2018
Halftime Highlight ✨
- NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) November 28, 2018
TOUGH đź’Ş pic.twitter.com/Fwjdee7fu5
What's next:
The Knicks travel to Philly to face Jimmy Butler, Joel Embiid, and the 76ers on Wednesday night at 7 p.m.