Knicks look to win next 4 games, close out first half

Knicks vs. Pistons

Even the new Detroit Pistons are not a sure win for the surprising Knicks. Like the Orlando Magic, they are well-coached and come to play. Detroit is now truly “the Weavers” and will have played a total of six games without Derrick Rose and Blake Griffin before meeting New York. Jerami Grant is their version of Julius Randle, with the added value that he plays tough D.

How far Saddiq Bey and Isaiah Stewart will have progressed without the looming presence of Blake Griffin will be interesting to see. Stewart, considered a reach at 16, is very solid, both physically and on defense. Saddiq Bey was picked at 19 for his three and D rep. Bey put up 30 in 27 minutes the other night against the Celtics including 7 of 7 from three.

Killian Hayes, Weaver’s choice at # 8, is the Piston’s point guard of the future. He also came into the draft with the reputation as a strong defender. The direction of Troy Weaver’s rebuild is clear, skilled players who defend, defend, defend. Josh Jackson has found a home and his maturity has caught up to his physical ability. He played very tough D against Ja Morant in a recent game. Jackson’s offense was never in doubt. For the Pistons, he is this year’s Christian Wood.

With Killian Hayes out for two months with a hip injury, it is probably too early for this group to be a threat to a ‘ready to play’ Knicks team. Delon Wright, Hayes’ replacement at point guard also missed the Pistons’ most recent game for unknown reasons. But with Dwane Casey at the helm and a solid core of young players who challenge the opposition to score on every possession, they are headed in the right direction.

The Knicks will face them twice in the second half of the season. Oh, how rewarding it is to see strong defensive players and teams succeed. Is it too much to expect the Knicks to win these final five games?

Perhaps. Perhaps they have not yet developed the maturity that it takes to consistently defeat teams with equal or lesser talent. Perhaps their talent is overrated.
“In this game, the most committed win”