NY, MSG: The Knicks were back at MSG after a disappointing three-game road trip. Friday night the Knicks were embarrassed by the Houston Rockets, losing to ex-Knick Jeremy Lin and the Rockets 131-to-103. This is after they lost a heartbreaker to the Dallas Mavericks 114- to-111. The Knicks are hosting the underachieving Detroit Pistons this afternoon at the Garden.
Carmelo Anthony led the way in the first half with 15 points. The Knicks led the Pistons by twenty points at halftime 64-to-44. Rasheed Wallace, a former Detroit Piston, played briefly in the second quarter. Rasheed won an NBA championship with the Pistons in 2004.
Although the Pistons were struggling to score points, their effort on the defensive end cut the Knicks lead to ten points with 3:40 left in the third quarter. Brandon Knight led the Pistons in scoring with sixteen points. The Knicks were able to withstand the run by the Pistons, pushing their lead to fourteen points at the end of the third quarter 86-to-72.
The Knicks bench led the way in the fourth quarter. Steve Novak finally got things going from downtown. Novak has struggled from the field, shooting thirty-six percent.
The Knicks were led by JR Smith and Steve Novak in the second half. Novak finished with eighteen points on five of eleven shootings from the field. JR Smith kept the Knicks under control down the stretch. His ball-handling and decision-making have vastly improved under Mike Woodson.
Carmelo Anthony did not play in the fourth quarter, coach’s decision. Melo scored a team-high 29 points. The Knicks defeated the Pistons 121-to-100 to stay undefeated at home.
Vernon McKenzie: PureSportsNY