Knicks 117, Pistons 96: “We have a point guard”

Oct 5, 2022 - 6:21 AM

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The New York Knicks kicked off their 2022-23 season by kicking off their 2022 preseason with a 117-96 win over the Detroit Pistons. There’s only so much one can ethically draw from the first preseason game, so there’s only so much I have to say about it.

The Knicks took over after the first quarter, outscoring the Pistons by 20 the rest of the way. The starters followed the script we’ll pro’ly get a lot of this year: the Southpaw Set led the way with Julius Randle, Jalen Brunson and RJ Barrett outscoring Detroit’s starting five while making nearly two-thirds of their shots. When the bench took the wheel the ball pretty much stayed zipping and moving with purpose. There was fluidity. Sequencing. Grace.

The defense was primed throughout. The perimeter defense was especially disruptive, forcing deflection after turnover after turnover. The interior defense had its moments.

The Knicks shot better, passed better and protected the ball better. Don’t know how much to take from this one, as far as applying it to the future. This was a preseason game where no starter for either team played more than 24 minutes. The Pistons are one of the few teams in the East the Knicks are considered superior to. Still, all we ever hear is how far the Knicks are from the promised land. If the journey of 1000 miles begins with one step, that step is as worthy of celebration as any of the others.

Notes

• Other than Derrick Rose and Emmanuel Mudiay, I can’t think of a Knick guard since Stephon Marbury who could make this shot Brunson did.

• Mr. Rowan Gervin Jr.

• Cam Reddish tantalizing at times before leaving with a sprained left ankle is last year’s Reddisih experience shrunk down into a single game.

• Obi Toppin had a couple good moments facing up his man, finding a cutter for an easy two on one possession and later busting out this blow-by dunk.

• Isaiah Hartenstein is one of those people the ball just seems drawn to. When he was on the floor in this one he always seemed to end up in the middle of whatever was going on. A couple of 3s and some nice 3-on-2 playmaking from him.
• OAKAAKUYOAKs Alec Burks (fractured left foot), Kevin Knox (strained right calf) and Nerlens Noel (sold his soul to a robot devil for vastly superior robot devil hands) were all DNPs.

Quoth Walt Clyde Phraser “We have a point guard.” We sure do, Billy. We sure do. Next chance to see that point guard and his pals is Friday, when the Knicks host the Indiana Pacers. Peace till then.