Knicks beat the Pistons 95-92, win fourth straight in years

Lots of things happened this week in the NYK land and we’ve yet to spot the negative. Following the firing of Steve Mills, there were several outcomes:

1. Marcus Morris, the Knicks most consistent and productive player was traded to the LA Clippers in a three team move that landed Moe Harkless and hope for a bright future in Clippers’ first round pick of 2020, the right to swap first-round picks with Clippers in 2021, Pistons’ second round pick in 2021 and the draft rights to point guard Issuf Sanon from the Wizards.

2. Shortly after, Leon Rose was announced as the new president of the New York Knicks. Rose, an NBA agent for the Creative Artists Agency has little experience in basketball operations but has strong connections with the highest stars in the league, his list of clients including names such as Carmelo Anthony, Karl-Anthony Towns, Joel Embiid, Chris Paul, Devin Booker, Victor Oladipo or Kyle Kuzma.

3. Rose is also expected to be joined by William Wesley, also knows as World Wide Wes, a consultant for the CAA, a very well known figure among NBA players and owners but also a client of Allen Iverson and Leon Rose. It is currently unknown the position Wes is aiming.

4. Last night, at the Little Caesar’s Pallace, the New York Knicks won their fourth straight game, a performance that last time that happened was December 16, 2017, a season in which the Knicks won 29 games.

 

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With a Detroit Pistons team that traded their franchise player, Andre Drummond to the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Knicks turned to Julius Randle who poured 17 points and grabbed 7 rebounds in a thriller decided in the final seconds.

The Knicks trailed by as many as 13 points early in the second quarter, tied the game for the first time in the third and never led until the final act. The last couple of minutes were tough.

With the game tied at 89, Elfrid Payton made a 10 foot floater to put the Knicks up by two. Then, he grabbed a defensive rebound and advanced the ball, forcing and missing an 18 foot jumper. Randle and Mitchell Robinson made two offensive rebounds on the next attack and in the end Randle drained another two.

The Pistons replied with a three point jumpshot by Christian Wood with 8.6 seconds on the clock to cut the lead at a single digit and Reggie Bullock took the foul hitting both threes. Reggie Jackson had one more shot at sending the game in overtime but his attempt failed as the Knicks walked away with their 17th win of the season.

Wayne Ellington led the bench with 17 points and Bobby Portis added 11. Elfrid Payton had 10 points, 9 rebounds and 6 dimes while Taj Gibson finished with 11.