Game Preview: Knicks vs Pistons, 3/8/2020

Home stand comes to an end tonight. I know you’re gonna miss being home but all weeks must come to an end! Today is daylight savings which means everything was going according to plan and now you’ll lose your mind over a missing hour. Nine to five is a hoax, break out of your hourly chains. It should be about the work, not the time.

Which brings us to everyone’s favorite 57% free throw shooter, Elfrid Payton (20% from three). He does all the work, so his time on the floor should not be an issue. Remember it’s not about the rotation, it’s about just jamming the square players you think are most trustworthy into the circle shape of your heart’s most contented lineup. You already know I do it. You do know this, yes? Payton is practically the best player on the Knicks. I love him dearly and he is the only thing keeping the team from falling below the .300 mark. That’s right, the Knicks (19-44) are a mere .142 percentage points back from the eighth seed.

If they want to fight for that spot, first they’ll need to leap frog tonight’s opponent the Detroit Basketball Pistons (20-44). Currently on a three game slide and having a measly one win in their last ten games, Detroit is doddering to the end line, having lost or replaced three of their heavyweight players. Now the only name that rings bells for lots of Knick fans will be Langston Galloway.

Projected Starters

Yea so. The Knicks will put their best foot forward here. I believe that what’s going on. They will roll without any reliable shooting for the 64th straight game. Damyean Dotson and Reggie Bullock are healthy, but unlikely. Dennis Smith can’t shoot (29% from deep, 51% from the stripe) remains in the concussion protocol. Maybe he’ll get his head right real soon. Two concussions in one tumultuous season does not seem like the type of thing to rush back from though. Frank Ntilikina, the best shooter from the line (87%) and from deep (ew, 31%) among all potential point guard options, stepped awkwardly and hurt his ankle in the last game, although he returned to the game and is day-to-day.

You like ankle pain? Derrick Rose came down awkwardly on his ankle and has been out since last Sunday. Blake Griffin perished earlier in the year. Then there’s young Duke southpaw, Luke Kennard, who has bilateral knee pain, which is essentially pain all over both knee situations. No big deal, right?

Keys & Predictions

If you haven’t read this cogent, nuanced and sensible take on the Knicks spacing woes, go do that and then come back. I’ll hang here.

Did ya do it? I’m waiting right here until you do. Plenty of time on the shot clock.

Yea so look, it’s gonna be really tough to accentuate what everyone does well, if we lump together groups of guys that are overlapping and causing congestion. Whatever though. Knicks didn’t learn that lesson yesterday. Nor are they prepared to fasten a few shooters behind the arc. Shit.

You think they’ll really play games with no one in the arena if COVID-19 really rips open the country? Wash up your hands. Which, tbh, maybe you might need to check in just anyhow.

So, yea. Christian Wood whups severe ass.

Knicks by -1.

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