The Detroit Pistons dominated the New York Knicks on Friday night, ending the latter's eight-game winning streak with a resounding 118-80 victory. Daniss Jenkins, playing his 42nd game of the season as a two-way player, scored 18 points in his final appearance under this contract. The Pistons must now convert his deal to a full NBA contract to retain him. Jenkins averaged 8.2 points and 3.3 assists in 16.8 minutes as a backup guard.
Jalen Duren missed the game for Detroit due to a knee injury, while the Knicks were without Karl-Anthony Towns (eye injury) and OG Anunoby (toe injury).
Tobias Harris and Isaiah Stewart each contributed 15 points for the Pistons, extending their winning streak against New York to five straight regular-season games. However, they lost to the Knicks in six games during the first round of the previous season's playoffs.
Mikal Bridges led the Knicks with 19 points, but Jalen Brunson struggled, scoring just 12 points on 4-for-20 shooting, including 0-for-8 from beyond the arc. New York's 80 points were their lowest of the season, surpassing the 90 points they scored in a 31-point loss to the Pistons on January 5th.
The Pistons, fresh off an ugly loss to Washington, dominated the first half, taking a 63-42 lead. Despite being one of the worst 3-point-shooting teams in the league, they hit 10 of 18 shots from beyond the arc (55.6%), while the Knicks made only 5 of 19 (26.3%). Brunson was 2-for-13 from the field in the half.
New York had an opportunity to make a run in the third quarter, but Brunson's 2-for-7 performance and the team's 18 points fell short. Jenkins and Harris each scored seven points as Detroit extended their lead to 90-60.
Looking ahead, the Knicks will face Boston on Sunday, while the Pistons will travel to Charlotte on Monday night. The game can be viewed on AP News and CBS News for in-depth coverage of the NBA.
