The New York Knicks have not been off to the start they wanted this season and on Tuesday night they will play against the Detroit Pistons in a game starting up at 7:30 PM from the Palace at Auburn Hills and is a very important game as the team tries to turn around their season.
The Knicks have just three wins on the season and have played pretty bad at home and that includes a 20 point loss to the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday and now they will travel to face the Pistons before a back to back matchup with the Indiana Pacers. The two teams played in the postseason last year and after that playoff matchup, the sides have been going in opposite directions as the Knicks are three games under .500 and the Pacers are in first place in their division. The Knicks come into the game scoring less than they did last season and they are banged up with Tyson Chandler on the sidelines and now Raymond Felton is dealing with some issues as well, as he is dealing with a hip injury and a sore hamstring and that could cost him some time down the line, something the Knicks obviously would love to avoid.
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Felton has been up and down this season and he is averaging just over 11 points per game and five assists and his play on the court will help dictate how the Knicks handle things the rest of the season. Metta World Peace will be sitting out on Tuesday night after getting his knee drained and now the team has to handle those injuries while also dealing with Chandler being out. JR Smith is back with the team and that has been a boost and he matches up well against the Pistons, as ESPN reports that he is averaging nearly 20 points in his last six games against the team and there is chance that he could get a start on Tuesday.
Carmelo Anthony has been scoring and playing well, but he is only one man and with the losses piling up, so is the pressure and now as things continue it could end up costing head coach Mike Woodson his job and it also may see young star Iman Shumpert sent out of town in a trade, which has been reported on already with a number of teams as possible destinations. The Knicks appear set to get a win in this game, as they are winners in 11 of the past 12 matchups with the team and this needs to be the start of a turnaround, as the Pacers are on the schedule next and they need to start playing better overall.
The Knicks are averaging under 95 points per game and ranks 23rd in the league in scoring and the defense is allowing just under 100 points per game and the teams come into the matchup both at 3-6. The Knicks have had a tough run and the schedule will continue to pick up, as the team plays Indiana at home before heading on a four game road trip out west and games are coming against the Clippers, Nuggets and the Blazers.
