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After ending the first quarter with the lead, the Pistons got into a hole they could never climb out of, losing to the Knicks 96-108. Credit New York for bringing the extra effort, and also shooting the lights out, going 54.4% from the field.
Melo did his thing with 24 points, but really let's talk about Derrick Williams mysteriously turned into vintage And 1 Mixtape player Half-Man-Half-Amazing. The dunks were so ridiculous, even Greg Kelser was gushing on the Pistons broadcast. If I were a Detroit fan, I'd stay off NBA Twitter this evening.
As for the Pistons? They hardly showed up for this contest. I'd have to rank this as a top 3 loss on the season.
The game started with impressive 1st quarters by Ersan Ilyasova, Marcus Morris, and Reggie Jackson, but one Piston starter was noticeably missing for the entire first half: Andre Drummond. Drummond looked flat-footed, with lazy defense and equally lazy offense. He had four shots blocked in the first half alone. His stat line reflected that laziness, with only three rebounds in the first half. While he made a resurgence in the third quarter with nine points, you can't afford to have your potential All-Star center no show for a half in any game.
If you really want a bright side, tonight was the return of our lord and savior SWAG A.K.A Brandon Jennings. Jennings showed super tiny flashes of his former self, but mostly was in there looking to get his sea legs under him and to facilitate the other guys on the floor. Regardless, Jennings definitely brings a different dynamic to the Pistons second unit, one that should (hopefully) relieve Pistons fans everywhere.
Next up, the Pistons host the Minnesota Timberwolves on New Years Eve at the Palace, hoping to end a three game losing streak before 2016 begins. Now your thoughts.