Knicks 109, Pistons 90: Scenes from a tired Knicks team getting the job done with gusto

At the stroke of midnight, it’ll be March, the time of year where Knicks fans are usually glued to tankathon.com while waiting for another season to mercifully end. This year, however, Knicks fans will wake tomorrow to a team currently in fourth place in the Eastern Conference at 18-17. Sure, the NBA schedule has been pushed back, but we’re above .500 after 35 games for the first time in eight years.

Sunday’s contest with the lowly Detroit Pistons reeked of a trap game, with the Knicks on the second night of a back-to-back following a 48-minute war with the Pacers one night earlier. The first half was butt-ugly, though the good guys walked away with a 48-37 advantage thanks to some timely three-point shooting.

In recent weeks, this club has struggled coming out of halftime. That was not the case Sunday, however, as Julius Randle and RJ Barrett dominated the Pistons while the Knicks stretched their lead past 20 points.

Julius toyed with the Pistons in the second half, canning jab-step jumpers like prime Melo.

Coming into tonight, I thought RJ Barrett would be a big key for the Knicks, as the one pair of young legs in the starting lineup. He certainly stepped up for the Knicks, with 21 points on 8-13 shooting.

Let’s also give some credit to Nerlens Noel, who was a beast yet again, playing huge minutes with Taj Gibson out.

I’ll say it again: We’re above .500 folks. Recap to come.