When you’re in the situation the Knicks and head coach Mike D’Antoni are in, every game is a must-win. At home on Tuesday night against the lowly 4-18 Detroit Pistons, D’Antoni simply needs to find a way for the Knicks to get their eighth win of the season. With each loss, as the dubious streak continues, the calls for D’Antoni’s head will get louder, and their message will have more validity.
However the ailing Carmelo Anthony is still no guarantee to return to the Knicks’ lineup. He’s missed the last two games as he tries to recover from a sprained ankle, a sprained wrist and a bad thumb. Anthony will reportedly give it a go during the team’s morning shoot-around and go from there. Even if Anthony can go, it might be a better idea to let him sit this one out. That seems precarious for a team in desperate need of a win, but the Pistons are a team the Knicks should beat on their home floor regardless of Anthony’s status.
Detroit is just 1-10 on the road and is in the middle game of a back-to-back-to-back road swing. On Monday, they were blown out in Milwaukee by an underwhelming Bucks team, and the Pistons look like a team who is destined for a top-3 draft choice this summer. It could be a very ugly, low-scoring game as the Pistons are the league’s worst scoring team and one of the least efficient offensive teams, ranking 26th out of 30 in offensive efficiency (points per 100 possessions). The Knicks of course have been an improved defensive side but continue to struggle on the offensive end themselves.
There’s not much reason for celebration if the Knicks were to win tonight. It’s something they simply need to find a way to do.