NBA: Detroit Pistons crush New York Knicks, end eight-game streak

DETROIT: The Detroit Pistons produced an overwhelming victory here at Little Caesars Arena on Friday, beating the New York Knicks 118-80 and stopping their eight-game winning streak.

Daniss Jenkins was the first to score, with 18 points after he entered the game off the bench and ignited a first-quarter scoring spurt that made Detroit win that first quarter.

Isaiah Stewart and Tobias Harris had 15 points apiece, and Paul Reed had 12, and Cade Cunningham had 11 points and seven assists.

The Pistons, who had rebounded following a narrow defeat by the Washington Wizards the night before, hit 53 percent of their field goal attempts and 17 out of their 40 three-point shots.

Detroit currently has 13 out of 17 straight wins and five in a row against the Knicks. New York was topped by Mikal Bridges with 19 points, yet All-Star Jalen Brunson had a bad game, only scoring 12 and failing all eight of his three-point shot attempts.

Jordan Clarkson contributed 11 points. The Knicks lacked starters OG Anunoby and Karl-Anthony Towns, and Detroit was without All-Star centre Jalen Duren with soreness in the right knee. 

Detroit established the mood at the beginning with a 14-3 first-quarter run, capped by six points from Jenkins.

They stretched their lead during the second quarter as they hit five three-pointers in the opening three minutes and led the half by 63-42.

The Pistons still dominated in the second half, with Jenkins scoring several three-pointers as Detroit went ahead by the third quarter, 90-60.

The decisive win solidifies the ascending position of Detroit within the Eastern Conference and gives a sharp blow to the Knicks, who were burning with victories all this time.