For The Knicks, Regular Season Guarantees Nothing

The New York Knicks kicked off the second half of their season with a dispiriting 126-111 loss at Madison Square Garden to the Eastern Conference-leading Detroit Pistons, who were without Jalen Duran and Isaiah Stewart, their two best and currently suspended big men.

Cade Cunningham put on a show. The Knicks shot 8-35 from long distance. Karl-Anthony Towns notched just two points on three first half shots. And OG Anunoby looked very much like a guy who hadn’t played basketball in two weeks and is missing a toenail.

The Knicks lost all three of their games against Detroit this year by a combined 84 points with a 28 point average margin of defeat. Earlier this month, the Knicks, who were without Anunoby and Mitchell Robinson, got lambasted in Detroit by 38-points. Early last month, Mike Brown's squad took a 31-point shellacking in Little Caesars Arena.

The Knicks Have No Answer For Detroit Right Now

Despite New York chasing Detroit for the final 40 minutes of action last night, that was easily the most competitive of the matchups, which isn't promising, but not necessarily a harbinger for things to come.

During the regular season last year, the Knicks were 0-16 against the Celtics, Cavaliers, Lakers, Clippers, Warriors and Thunder. They were also 1-3 against these same Pistons, who couldn't get past Tom Thibodeau's group in a highly contested opening round playoff series, which included Detroit losing all three games at home.

The struggles against Detroit highlights a similar trend for this group that hasn’t played its best basketball against upper echelon teams. The Knicks are 16-15 against winning teams and fattening up with a 19-6 mark against losing teams. Sometimes, they look world beaters, other times, they look infuriatingly mediocre.

It's Been A Jekyll-and-Hyde Season

Over the last two seasons, including their playoff meeting, the Knicks are 5-8 against Detroit and there is no love lost between the two. J.B. Bickerstaff's group is physical, long and believe that they’re better than the Knicks.

“Yeah, they play great against us," Jalen Brunson told Kris Pursiainen of Clutch Points after dropping 33 points in the loss. "I think today was obviously not as bad as the first two, but I mean just not up to our standards.”