Tell the world that the New York Knicks are coming home.
Manhattanites and more will get their first taste of the rebooted New York basketball experience on Friday night at Madison Square Garden when the Knicks take on the Detroit Pistons to officially tip off their home slate for this season.
New York is coming off a well-fought but ultimately heartbreaking 115-112 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies in their first game on Wednesday night. Bench players stole the spotlight, as Cam Reddish and Isaiah Hartenstein united for 38 points in relief, with the former sinking a tying three-pointer in the dying stages of regulation to force an extra session.
While the Pistons appear to be embracing something closer to a full-on rebuild with a plethora of rookies peppered throughout the lineup, they did manage to get their season off to a good start, topping the Orlando Magic 113-109 on Wednesday night in the Motor City. One freshman (and brief Knick), Jalen Duren, had a 19-point, 10-rebound double-double off the bench while sophomore Cade Cunningham put in 18 points and 10 helpers.
This will be the first of four meetings between the Knicks and Pistons this season, the next also coming at MSG on Nov. 11.
What: Detroit Pistons (1-0) at New York Knicks (0-1)
Where: Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
When/Watch: Friday, 7:30 p.m. ET, MSG/MSG GO
Keep An Eye On: Julius Randle
Lost in both the heartbreak and the pleasant Reddish breakout on Wednesday was Randle's outstanding performance in his first game working on a four-year, $117 million extension that kicks in this season.
The newly-confirmed nine-digit man was an MVP in the most extreme styles: his 24 points and 11 rebounds were strong enough, but the most inspiring sign has to be his six assists, confirming a goal to play a larger role in moving and facilitation with Jalen Brunson in tow. Alas, Brunson's late foul-induced ejection more or less killed the Knicks' chances, as they missed his defense on Tyus Jones' winner.
Randle worked well in his first year under Tom Thibodeau's watch, averaging a career-best six assists during his metropolitan breakout, a number that nearly fell by a full point last season. He's also looking to fully repair his relationship with Knicks fans after a brief civil war partly defined last season's struggles. There'd be no better way to immediately re-endear himself than a showcase in the home opener.
Piston to Watch: Kevin Knox
Part of the trade with the Atlanta Hawks that send Reddish to New York, Knox has already found a new locale, coming off the bench in Detroit. He previously faced the Knicks twice as a Hawk but didn't play in either game. There probably won't be a thankful video tribute playing for Knox on GardenVision today and, if there is, it likely won't be received well.
Whereas Reddish put himself on a path to redemption on Wednesday, Knox struggled to the tune of a 1-of-8 shooting night in 13 minutes off the bench, more or less negating a promising showcase in his lone preseason appearance. If he's granted an opportunity to impress in front of a crowd that probably won't have many nice things to say, taking avantage would be a major step in regrasping control over his NBA career's narrative.
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