Pistons at Knicks
The New York Knicks, who are facing a major rebuilding effort, will get an up-close view of the player who could help them turn around their fortunes Wednesday when the Knicks conclude the worst season in franchise history with a visit from the Detroit Pistons. According to an unnamed league executive in a report in the New York Daily News, Pistons big man Greg Monroe to New York is “about as close to a done deal as you can get."
Monroe, who is completing his fifth season with Detroit, is an unrestricted free agent after the season and his agent, David Falk, has a close personal relationship with Knicks president Phil Jackson. If there has been some discussions behind closed doors, neither party is talking since New York could face tampering charges because teams can’t pursue impending free agents until July 1. "I haven't discussed anything with anybody," Monroe told the Detroit Free Press. "My agent hasn't discussed anything with anyone. It's the stuff I've been telling you guys all year is exactly what I've been doing. I've been focused on this season and that's going to be it.” What Jackson hopes to do is get either Jahlil Okafor or Karl-Anthony Towns in the lottery to add to star Carmelo Anthony and perhaps Monroe.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, FSN Detroit, MSG (New York)
ABOUT THE PISTONS (31-50): Other than a brief spurt when Detroit went 12-4 right after trading Josh Smith and before Brandon Jennings injured his Achilles, it’s been a frustrating first campaign for coach Stan Van Gundy. One bright spot down the stretch has been center Andre Drummond, who has been playing at an All-Star level of late, including 20 points, nine rebounds and three blocks in Monday’s 109-97 loss at Cleveland. "He has been; but of course the key is, what All-Stars do is they do it over a long period of time, night in and night out," Van Gundy told reporters. "It's one thing to have that level of ability and be able to do it night in and night out when people are keying on you. That's the challenge for him going forward, but he's certainly been playing at that level over the last 20 games."
ABOUT THE KNICKS (17-64): New York has won two straight - its first winning streak since Feb. 27-28 - and now has a better record than Minnesota by one game for the battle for the worst record in the NBA. A win against Detroit combined with a loss by Philadelphia in its finale versus Miami could result in New York going from having the best chance to garner the first pick in the NBA draft to a worst case scenario of dropping to the sixth pick depending upon how the ping pong balls fall. In New York’s latest victory, 112-108 over Atlanta on Monday, rookie Langston Galloway continued his breakout season with 26 points and six 3-pointers.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Van Gundy said that F Quincy Miller, acquired just after the Feb. 19 trade deadline and signed to a partially-guaranteed contract for next season, will start and play big minutes at small forward against the Knicks.
2. Drummond is averaging 16.1 points and 14.8 rebounds, including 6.1 on the offensive end, and 2.1 blocks in his last 27 games.
3. New York, which averages 91.9 points, second-fewest in the NBA, reached 112 for just the fifth time all season against the Hawks.