Game Day: Knicks vs. Pistons, 3/4/21
Can the Knicks enter the All-Star break above .500? They get the Pistons at home with Detroit on a SEGABABA and potentially short-handed, but coming off a big win against Toronto.
It’s here! The last game before the All-Star break. And go figure, it’s a game that people are trying to load up with narratives.
You hear that? That’s Berman and some of his beat-mates sharpening up their quills, getting ready to write columns about how the Pistons won the Derrick Rose trade and Dennis Smith Jr. just gave the Knicks a reality check before the All-Star break.
I know DSJ just had a triple-double against the Raptors. A game where the Pistons somehow smoked Toronto after losing badly to the Knicks (I know Toronto was short-handed but… woof. So were the Pistons!). I, however, would prefer to look back to Sunday, where the Knicks held DSJ to seven points, seven rebounds, and four assists on 3-11 shooting. He low-key flirted with a triple-double in that game, too, and guess what? He still kinda stunk.
I’m rooting for DSJ to get his career back on track. Just set it aside for another game, bud. I don’t want to have to deal with all the crap that comes along with DSJ playing super well against the Knicks at MSG.
I don’t know how much really needs to be said about this matchup, honestly. We literally just saw these two teams play a few days ago. I guess the only thing that’s changed is that the Knicks lost horribly to the Spurs in the interim, while the Pistons beat up on the Raptors.
On a kinda concerning note, Frank Ntilikina has been downgraded to questionable for this game, while Elfrid Payton has been upgraded to the same designation:
That’s… mildly concerning. If Elfrid comes back and Frank can’t give it a go, presumably Derrick Rose (who should be back after an inconclusive COVID test kept him out on Tuesday) will move back to the bench, and Elfrid back to the starting lineup. At which point we’ll all stop having fun again. The stink of the San Antonio game aside, the three Elf-less games prior to that were some of the best basketball the Knicks have played this season. At least give us one more before the All-Star break, Thibs.
The Pistons might be without Jerami Grant for a second straight game, as he’s questionable too. That said, they didn’t seem to need him last night. Just gotta hope the Knicks can take advantage of a team on a back-to-back this time, rather than whatever that was in San Antonio the other night. Going into the All-Star break over .500 would be pretty sweet.
Game’s on MSG at 7:30. Buckle up, buckaroos.
Oh and here’s my warmup music for today. I listened to this album the other day when I was working out and haven’t been able to stop since. Never did get to see Daft Punk in concert before they retired. Bummer.
