Friday Night Knicks: Knicks vs Pistons

jpz17

Starter
Date: March 18, 2011
7:30 PM ET
The Palace of Auburn Hills, Detroit, MI
TV: MSG

wpid-Detroit-Pistons-vs-New-York-Knicks.jpg


<table class="season-leaders" cellspacing="4"><thead><tr class="periods"><th> </th> <th style="text-align: left;">Points</th> <th style="text-align: left;">Rebounds</th> <th style="text-align: left;">Assists</th> </tr> </thead> <tbody> <tr><td class="team">NY</td><td style="text-align: left;">Stoudemire 26.2</td><td style="text-align: left;">Stoudemire 8.3</td><td style="text-align: left;">Billups 5.9</td></tr><tr><td class="team">DET</td><td style="text-align: left;">Stuckey 14.8</td><td style="text-align: left;">Monroe 7.1</td><td style="text-align: left;">Stuckey 4.8</td></tr></tbody></table>

Gameday Matchup


<table class="mod-data"><thead><tr class="team-color-strip"><th> </th><th style="border-bottom-color: rgb(34, 94, 168); text-align: right; line-height: 25px;" width="30%">New York
</th><th style="border-bottom-color: rgb(250, 0, 44); text-align: right; line-height: 25px;" width="30%">Detroit
</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr class="odd"><td style="text-align: left;">W-L</td><td style="text-align: right;">35-32</td><td style="text-align: right;">24-44</td></tr><tr class="even"><td style="text-align: left;">Avg Points</td><td style="text-align: right;">106.8</td><td style="text-align: right;">96.1</td></tr><tr class="odd"><td style="text-align: left;">Avg Points Allowed</td><td style="text-align: right;">105.9</td><td style="text-align: right;">100.3</td></tr><tr class="even"><td style="text-align: left;">Home Record</td><td style="text-align: right;">19-14</td><td style="text-align: right;">17-17</td></tr><tr class="odd"><td style="text-align: left;">Road Record</td><td style="text-align: right;">16-18</td><td style="text-align: right;">7-27</td></tr><tr class="even"><td style="text-align: left;">Current Streak</td><td style="text-align: right;">W1</td><td style="text-align: right;">W1</td></tr><tr class="odd"><td style="text-align: left;">Last 10</td><td style="text-align: right;">5-5</td><td style="text-align: right;">3-7</td></tr></tbody></table>



Starting Lineup


<table class="mod-data"><thead><tr class="team-color-strip"><th style="line-height: 25px; border-bottom-color: rgb(34, 94, 168); text-align: left;">New York (PPG)</th><th style="line-height: 25px; border-bottom-color: rgb(250, 0, 44); text-align: left;">Detroit (PPG)</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr class="odd" align="right" valign="top"><td style="text-align: left;">G L. Fields 10.2</td> <td style="text-align: left;">SF A. Daye 7.6</td> </tr> <tr class="even" align="right" valign="top"><td style="text-align: left;">PG C. Billups 16.8</td> <td style="text-align: left;">SG T. McGrady 8.5</td> </tr> <tr class="odd" align="right" valign="top"><td style="text-align: left;">SF C. Anthony 25.3</td> <td style="text-align: left;">SF T. Prince 14.3</td> </tr> <tr class="even" align="right" valign="top"><td style="text-align: left;">PF J. Jeffries 1.5</td> <td style="text-align: left;">PF G. Monroe 8.8</td> </tr> <tr class="odd" align="right" valign="top"><td style="text-align: left;">PF A. Stoudemire 26.2</td> <td style="text-align: left;">C B. Wallace 2.9</td></tr></tbody></table>

The New York Knicks have a plan to end their long playoff drought, but they'd like any lingering concerns to vanish.
Another dominant performance and a meeting with the struggling Detroit Pistons may be just what they need.
The Knicks look to build on a record-setting shooting performance by extending their winning streak over the Pistons on Friday night.
New York (35-32) is sixth in the Eastern Conference, seven games ahead of ninth-place Charlotte with 15 games remaining.
Ending a seven-year playoff drought is the immediate concern for the Knicks, who have had to deal with enormous hype since acquiring Carmelo Anthony in a blockbuster deal last month.
Anthony is averaging 26.0 points in 13 games with New York, but the team is just 7-6 and fans have grown frustrated as four losses have come against teams with losing records. Those worries even caused coach Mike D'Antoni to joke that fans should "take some Prozac or something."
"The biggest thing, and I'll just keep repeating," he said, "is that we're not going to get caught up in the hysteria and we're going to be who we are, we're going to play as well as we can and get it together and hang in as a group and try to make the playoffs and then try to do as good as we can."
More performances like Thursday's 120-99 victory over Memphis would be welcome after New York had dropped three in a row while giving up an average of 117.3 points. The Knicks set a franchise record by hitting 20 3-pointers, and Toney Douglas had 29 points including nine 3s to share the club's single-game record with Latrell Sprewell and John Starks.
Douglas is averaging 10.0 points this season, but 16.7 over the last nine games while connecting on 31 of 61 from beyond the arc.
The Knicks have won four in a row against the Pistons, including both meetings this season after a 124-106 victory Jan. 30.
Meanwhile, the Pistons have dropped 12 of 17 since last winning consecutive games on Feb. 4 and 5. They snapped a three-game skid after beating Toronto 107-93 on Wednesday.
Coach John Kuester sees promise after finally being able to start his ideal lineup for the first time this season after injuries, a benching and other internal strife prevented that from happening. Ben Wallace, Tayshaun Prince, Richard Hamilton and Tracy McGrady plus rookie Greg Monroe combined for 80 points against the Raptors, including a season-high 38 in the opening quarter.
The Pistons have used 18 different lineups this season, tying Dallas for the sixth-most in the league.
"I've been waiting for that group to present itself all season, but it hasn't worked out until now," Kuester said. "They did a great job of setting the tone -- that was as good a first quarter as we've played offensively all season."
Hamilton missed Thursday's practice due to the death of his grandfather, and it's not immediately known if he will play Friday, The swingman missed the last contest with New York due to the flu, and he's averaged only 14.3 points over his past four meetings while shooting 28.1 percent from the floor.
 
We need this game in the worst way. Great win last night against a good Memphis team. I believe we set or broke our all-time record for most 3's made in a single game. I was having the time of my life watching my boy from FSU drain what? I believe 9 3's!

All I know is this; everyone knows about the Magic & their great shooters, well, the Knicks have some very good shooters also in Billups, Douglas & Fields. When those guys are hitting; we cant be stopped.

Lets make a strong statement tonight & beat a bad Pistons team.
 
lol What happened to the gameday thread?!?

Looking like the Heat are starting to pull away from the Hawks too which would be huge if we win tonight. 5th seed is still in reach especially with a Knicks Win + an ATL Loss. That would close the gap to 2.5 & only 2 games back of the loss column.
 

YungMelo15

Benchwarmer
Its weird that mcgrady at 6'8 was the shortest person on the court for the pistons at one point though.

Billups is killin me with thse TO's too.
 
@pete: it's simple bro... Just a classic example of players playing down to the level of their opponent & forgetting that every player in the league is an NBA pro; regardless of their overall team record.

Alot of blame goes to MDA for not having his team ready but more blame goes to the players.

Still, we're 6-2 against winning teams since the trade & thats a great sign.
 

la2ny

Starter
Why do people keep acting like we want the 5th seed? Think about it. If we get 5th we draw Dwight and Orlando and we still wont have HCA so its pretty useless and a certain deathwish if we try 2 get it.
 

iSaYughh

Starter
Why do people keep acting like we want the 5th seed? Think about it. If we get 5th we draw Dwight and Orlando and we still wont have HCA so its pretty useless and a certain deathwish if we try 2 get it.

Word.

Lol, deathwish. Too true.

We need a miracle on ice effort to slay ORL. And we won't have that kinda effort and confidence in Rd 1.
 

YungMelo15

Benchwarmer
Whats up with defense yo! Melo cant buy a bucket, and billups forcing supid passes that lead to turnovers.

We need to find some ofense, and PUT A MAN ON VILLANUEVA!!!
 
I'm sorry... But Orlando is no where neat as good as MIA.

Also, by getting to the 5 seed... that means the Knicks we're playing strong, and WINNING heading into the playoffs.

The Magic have Dwight Howard & some strong shooters. But we also have some real good shooters in Billups, Fields & Douglas. The Heat have 2 superstars & 1 star. The Magic are great @ the C position but that still doesn't change the fact that the Heat are the better team & will become the much tougher out during the playoffs. LeBron & Wade? No thanks. Bosh is also much better than any player on the Magic not named Dwight Howard.
 

YungMelo15

Benchwarmer
A 7 game series against ORL would be tough, but were were up doubl figures againt them the last game. Just let them take it at the end.

Either seed 5 or 6 w can get with both teams! We would punish MIA though!
 

TakMan

Rotation player
What a truly revolting fourth quarter. Anthiny's a mess. Defence packed it and Coach clearly didn't feel Jeffries or Fields were required to protect our 11 point lead.
 
Top