AUBURN HILLS - Whatever offensive system Derek Fisher and the Knicks employ this season, they are capable of losing to anyone if Carmelo Anthony is unable to consistently hit any shots.
The seven-time All-Star has endured back-to-back horrendous shooting efforts, and the Knicks' frantic comeback bid fell short Wednesday for their second loss in as many nights, 98-95, to previously winless Detroit at The Palace.
One night after missing 15 of 23 shot attempts in a home loss to Washington, Anthony didn't make a field goal in a two-point first half. The $124 million forward finished 5-for-21 from the field for just 13 points with eight assists and six rebounds in 39 minutes.
With starting point guard Jose Calderon (calf) still sidelined and J.R. Smith suspended for the game, veteran reserve Pablo Prigioni went down with a sprained right ankle on a drive to the basket barely three few minutes into the second quarter and did not return.
Jason Smith made his first start and netted all 17 of his points in the first half, Tim Hardaway Jr. had a season-high 20 and Amar'e Stoudemire and Iman Shumpert added 15 apiece for the Knicks (2-3).
The Knicks trailed by 15 with barely four minutes remaining in the fourth quarter before embarking on a 19-5 run to draw within 94-90 on Anthony's turnaround jumper with 33 seconds to go.
The Knicks made it a one possession game on Hardaway's corner three with seven seconds left and had a chance to tie after Kentavious Caldwell-Pope missed two straight free throws. Shumpert was fouled just past midcourt and nailed the first free throw, but the Knicks couldn't corral or tap in his miss of the second.
Caldwell-Pope buried four of the Pistons' 11 three-pointers and scored 20 points, while Greg Monroe finished with 23 points and 18 boards as the Knicks were outrebounded 55-43.
Before the game, new Pistons coach and president Stan Van Gundy noted that he'd been 'very impressed' with the job Fisher had done with the Knicks in splitting their first four games.
'I think they've done a great job, the ball movement is good, their execution is good, their spacing,' Van Gundy said before the game. 'They have a lot of guys who can shoot the ball, which really helps. But I think Derek has done a really good job in a short amount of time. He's got them playing very, very well.'
Following a blowout loss to Chicago in their season opener, the Knicks spoiled LeBron James' homecoming with an impressive win the following night in Cleveland and also posted a win over Charlotte before dropping a 98-83 home decision Tuesday night to Washington.
While Fisher is attempting to balance winning games while attempting to install team president Phil Jackson's famed triangle offense, Van Gundy's brother -- former Knicks coach Jeff Van Gundy - declared last month that 'systems don't win games, players do.'
'I do think it gives you a little bit of an advantage when you're different than everybody else,' Stan Van Gundy said. 'People have seen it; you just don't see it a lot.'
Fisher started Jason Smith up front - the Knicks' third different starting lineup in five games - with Stoudemire playing center on the second unit after starting at power forward in Tuesday's home loss to Washington.
'With J.R. out tonight, we need someone that can help anchor the second group and give us a guy we can play through,' Fisher said.
With Smith suspended for the game by the NBA for striking Washington's Glen Rice Jr. in the groin Tuesday night, Fisher acknowledged the shooting guard's absence likely would open up some playing time for Hardaway, who had totaled just 46 minutes in the first four games. Hardaway played at Michigan and his father, Tim Sr., is an assistant coach with the Pistons (1-3).
Hardaway dropped in a couple of runners in eight minutes off the bench in the first half, but the story was Anthony, who missed all six shots from the field before intermission and scored his lone two points from the free-throw line with 2:57 remaining in the second quarter.
The Knicks were within a dozen, 49-37, at the half largely because Jason Smith connected on seven of eight shots for 17 points, while Josh Smith shot just 2-for-13 in the first two quarters for Detroit.
Posted by Unknown on Wednesday, November 5, 2014 - Rating: 4.5
0 comments "Carmelo Anthony struggles in Knicks' loss to Pistons"
Post a Comment