Pistons try to avoid another 3-point barrage against Knicks

Essentials

Teams: New York Knicks at Detroit Pistons

Date: March 18,  2011

Time: 7:30 p.m.

Television: Fox Sports Detroit

Records

Pistons: 24-44

Knicks: 35-32

Probable starters

Pistons:

• Tracy McGrady
• Rip Hamilton Austin Daye
• Tayshaun Prince
• Ben Wallace
• Greg Monroe

Hamilton will miss the game due to the death of his grandfather. RIP Mr. Long and sympathies to Rip’s family.

Knicks:

• Chauncey Billups
• Landry Fields
• Carmelo Anthony
• Jared Jeffries
• Amar’e Stoudemire

Las Vegas projection

Spread: Pistons +3.0

Over/under: 216

Score: Knicks win, 109.5-106.5

Three things to watch

1. Knicks set a record

A bunch of former Knicks helped the Denver Nuggets hit 18 threes against the Pistons last week. The current Knicks are coming off a win over Memphis in which they hit 20 3-pointers. The Pistons do a poor job of closing out on shooters as a team, so if the the Knicks move the ball, expect them to take and make a lot of threes.

2. Billups returns again

Chauncey Billups has already been back to the Palace a few times with the Nuggets, but this will be his first time as a Knick. Billups missed six games due to injury, but he’s averaging nearly 20 points per game with the Knicks even while shooting really poorly. He’s been getting to the free throw line nine times per game since his trade from Denver.

3. Will Stuckey’s performance repeat itself?

Rodney Stuckey had the best game of his career from a passing standpoint against Toronto. Some speculated he could’ve been on some type of shooting strike to prove a point that he can be an effective passer too. Will it be a momentary change in style simply to prove a point, or is it the start of Stuckey embracing a more pass-first game?

Pregame Reading

• Kuester is tired of talking about talking
• Need4Sheed talks Jonas Jerebko
• Did Dumars lay an unstable foundation?

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