The Knicks have gone 6-2 since starting center Mitchell Robinson broke his hand in Washington. Credit to Nerlens Noel for this.
The Knicks had an 11-point lead in the first half despite only shooting 36.7% from the field. It was a bad first half, personified by Noel’s stern defense.
Noel, the Knicks’ last pivot standing, was a beast in lane for a defense that kept the Pistons at 38.4 percent shooting. He scored eight points, 11 rebounds, three blocks and three steals, including a spectacular edge stop on a novice Saddiq Bey lottery hard drive.
“Just resilience,” Noel said of the Knicks’ success.