The Pistons missed Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in Miami and might get to miss Amar’e Stoudemire in New York

Essentials

Teams: Detroit Pistons at New York Knicks

Date: Jan. 30, 2011

Time: 7:30 p.m.

Television: Fox Sports Detroit

Records

Pistons: 17-30

Knicks: 24-22

Probable starters

Pistons:

• Tracy McGrady
• Ben Gordon
• Austin Daye
• Tayshaun Prince
• Greg Monroe

Knicks:

• Raymond Felton
• Landry Fields
• Wilson Chandler
• Danilo Gallinari
• Amar’e Stoudemire or Ronny Turiaf

Las Vegas projection

Spread: Pistons +7

Over/under: 203

Score: Knicks win, 105-98

Three things to watch

1. Any healthy bodies out there?

The Knicks aren’t that deep a team in the first place, so if Amar’e Stoudemire can’t go (he’s listed as a game-time decision), someone unaccustomed to playing big minutes will have to replace a large chunk of Stoudemire’s 37ish minutes per game. And I like Ronny Turiaf, but if he gets the bulk of those minutes, well, I think the production from that spot might just fall off a tad. Wilson Chandler is also questionable.

As for the Pistons, Rodney Stuckey, Rip Hamilton and Ben Wallace are all likely to be unavailable again. On the plus side, with the funky lineups that forces the Pistons to use, along with the Knicks’ always-crazy lineup, this should be an interesting game to watch.

2. Watch the 3-point shooting this time.

In a double overtime loss to the Knicks in November, the Pistons fell asleep guarding the 3-point line and predictably, New York torched them. The Knicks are perimeter-oriented anyway, but with Stoudemire possibly out, look for them to shoot it even more from distance. If they choose to go small, Mike D’Antoni can put a lineup of five guys — Felton, Fields, Toney Douglas, Chandler (if he plays) and Gallinari — who are all pretty good 3-point shooters on the floor. The Pistons will be able to counter some with the length of Prince, Daye and McGrady, so hopefully they’ll be able to close out on shooters more effectively than in the previous game.

3. If Hamilton is ever going to get off the bench again, this would be the game.

The Pistons are coming off a game where they played really short-handed, stretched out minutes for guys like McGrady and Ben Gordon, and lost in heart-breaking fashion. Hamilton has had the flu for about a week or so. If ever John Kuester were going to be tempted to play Hamilton, this would be the game.

Pregame Reading

• Sebastian Pruiti breaks down what almost went right on the final play vs. Miami
• I like you Wages of Wins, but you can’t seriously put Arron Afflalo in the All-Star Game. That’s crazy talk.
• Larry Brown is now working in a mysterious capacity for John Calipari at Kentucky
• Not Pistons related, but if you like people talking mess to Chris Bosh as much as I do, check out Kevin Durant’s postgame comments

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