NBA News Wire
Pistons 96, Knicks 85
Jeff Hawkins is an award-winning sportswriter with more than four decades in the industry (print and digital media). A freelance writer/stay-at-home dad since 2008, Hawkins started his career with newspaper stints in Michigan, North Carolina, Florida, Upstate New York and Illinois, where he earned the 2004 APSE first-place award for column writing (under 40,000 circulation). As a beat writer, he covered NASCAR Winston Cup events at NHIS (1999-2003), the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks (2003-06) and the NFL's Carolina Panthers (2011-12). Hawkins penned four youth sports books, including a Michael Jordan biography. Hawkins' main hobbies include mountain bike riding, 5k trail runs at the Whitewater Center in Charlotte, N.C., and live music.
All posts by Jeff HawkinsUpdated15 Oct 2021
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. — Second-year center Andre Drummond scored 17 points and grabbed a career-high 26 rebounds and the Detroit Pistons snapped a four-game losing streak with a 96-85 victory over the reeling New York Knicks on Monday night at The Palace.
Reserve guards Rodney Stuckey and Will Bynum each contributed 16 points for the Pistons (24-36). Forward Josh Smith supplied 15 points and power forward Greg Monroe added 11.
Drummond’s 44th double-double tied him with Grant Hill (1995-96) and Bill Laimbeer (1983-84) for the most by a Piston since the 1983-84 season.
Forward Carmelo Anthony led the Knicks (21-40), who have lost seven straight and 13 of their last 15, with 28 points. Power forward Amar’e Stoudemire added 22 points in his second start this season while guard J.R. Smith chipped in 16 points.
Smith gave Detroit its first lead of the game early in the third quarter with a jumper and Drummond extended it with a personal flurry. He made a pair of reverse layups and added an alley-oop dunk to make it 63-56. The Pistons nudged the advantage to eight before Anthony hit a 3-pointer in the final second.
Detroit then took command by holding New York scoreless in the first 5:02 of the fourth. The Knicks missed five shots and made four turnovers while the Pistons reeled off eight unanswered points to take a 77-64 lead.
Stoudemire finally broke New York’s scoring drought with a jumper but the Knicks never recovered.
Anthony scored 16 points in the first half, including two fast-break baskets in the final minute, to give New York a 44-39 halftime lead. The Knicks led by as much as 14 in the first quarter.
NOTES: Pistons reserve C Josh Harrellson was unavailable because of a sore knee. … Detroit allowed an average of 112.3 points in its previous seven games, while New York gave up an average of 114.8 points in its previous six games. “I’m sure they’re disappointed where they’re at, and we’re disappointed where we’re at,” Pistons interim head coach John Loyer said. … With the loss, the Knicks lost their first series against the Pistons since the 2006-07 season. … Detroit’s 66.6 free-throw percentage, through Sunday, was the worst in team history. … New York has used 12 different starters this season. … Before Monday, Pistons SG Kyle Singler averaged 13.2 points in 13 games as a starter, compared to 8.2 points in 46 games off the bench. … Through the weekend, Detroit led the NBA with an average of 52.6 points in the paint per game.
