The Detroit Pistons avenged the preseason defeat, defeating the Knicks behind a good performance from Sekou Doumbouya. The second-year striker finished with 23 points, five rebounds, two blocks and a streak in 8 out of 11 overall shots and 2 out of 4 from behind the arc.
Both the Pistons and the Knicks looked shaky during their preseason debut on Friday. It wasn’t too surprising – it was the first time both teams had seen the track since 11 March. But New York recovered after a bad offensive start, shooting 11 for 17 in the second and winning the game, 90-84. Detroit found no semblance of flow in attack until the final six minutes, when Svi Mykhailiuk and Saddiq Bey helped lead a small comeback.
The Pistons started much better on Sunday. The starting lineup moved the ball and did a better job generating open 3-eye looks, and the bench kept the momentum going. In the first quarter, they shot 11 of 20 overall, 5 of 9 of 3, served eight assists against three turnovers, and entered the second quarter with a 31-20 lead.