Paul Reed gives Pistons hope and heat in Jalen Duren's absence

Reed's impact was felt on both sides of the floor, with nine rebounds, three assists, two steals and a block to his name on the night. However, his five personal fouls — a tally he reached in the third quarter — limited his availability in the crucial late stretches of the game, even if they were also reflective of his effort and hustle throughout the contest.

Stand-in nearly comes to blows with Karl-Anthony Towns

However, there was a moment where that effort level may have gotten a bit too high.

A few minutes into the third quarter, Reed and Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns got tangled up under the rim after a made basket from Detroit. As they struggled to untangle themselves, the two big men stared each other down, appearing to start squaring each other up before teammates and coaches quickly broke up any potential altercation.

Ultimately, the almost-fight was overlooked by the officials, but Reed was assessed a flagrant foul for his swinging elbow on Towns that sparked the fracas.

If Reed can channel that volatility into passion and production for his team, the Pistons should be in safe hands, not only while Duren recovers, but throughout the year as an important depth piece in a position of need for Detroit. Leading your team against a dominant Knicks side in the Big Apple isn't a bad way to start.