NBA: Julius Randle, Knicks knock off Pistons

Julius Randle regained his All-Star form, finishing with 27 points and 16 rebounds to help the host New York Knicks close out the season's first half with a 114-104 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Thursday night.

Coming off a subpar 14-point performance in a loss to the Spurs on Tuesday, Randle shot 11-for-19 from the field and also had seven assists to help New York persevere despite playing without Derrick Rose for the second consecutive game due to the NBA's health and safety protocols.

Rose returned multiple negative tests for COVD-19 before the game, but the league ruled him ineligible to play against his former team.

All five Knicks starters scored in double figures. RJ Barrett scored 21 points to go along with five assists and four rebounds.

The Pistons spread the points out even more, finishing with eight players in double figures. Wayne Ellington led with 17 points on 6-of-14 shooting.

The Knicks welcomed back Elfrid Payton, who missed four games with a right hamstring injury. He finished with 20 points and six rebounds on 7-for-14 shooting. Taj Gibson remained out with a sprained left ankle.

Reggie Bullock and Nerlens Noel each added 12 points for the Knicks, and Noel contributed 11 rebounds.

Rookie Immanuel Quickley, though, who entered averaging just over 12 points per game, played only 13 minutes and was held scoreless.

The Knicks shot 54.2 percent from the field, outrebounded the Pistons, 47-29, and outscored them, 66-38, in the paint.

Saddiq Bey had 14 points for Detroit, while Mason Plumlee finished with 12 points and 13 rebounds. Rodney McGruder had 13 points off the Pistons bench, and Dennis Smith Jr. added 12 points. Reserves Isaiah Stewart and Sekou Doumbouya each had 10.

Jerami Grant (left quad), Josh Jackson (illness), Frank Jackson (illness), Killian Hayes (right hip strain), Delon Wright (right groin strain), Jahlil Okafor (left knee surgery) and Blake Griffin (not with the team) were out for Detroit.

The Knicks open the second half with a four-game road trip beginning March 11 at Milwaukee. The Pistons also resume on the road with back-to-back games at Charlotte and Brooklyn on March 11 and 13.

-reuters-

NBA: Pistons ride big first half past Hawks

Andre Drummond had 23 points and 11 rebounds to lead the way as the Detroit Pistons jumped to a 24-point lead late in the first quarter and coasted to a 124-109 victory over the Atlanta Hawks on Friday night.

The Pistons made a season-high 20 of 47 attempts from behind the 3-point arc and rolled to their second straight win after a five-game losing streak, despite just six points from Blake Griffin, their leading scorer at 27.3 per game coming in.

Griffin missed eight of his 10 shots, but had nine rebounds and nine assists as Detroit placed seven players in double figures.

Stanley Johnson had 22 points for the Pistons and Langston Galloway scored 16 while combining to hit nine 3-pointers off the bench. 

Rookie Trae Young scored 16 points and had five assists for the Hawks, who lost for the eighth time in their past nine games.

The Pistons hit 11 of their first 15 shots in taking a 26-8 lead six minutes into the game and turned a 40-20 lead at the end of the first quarter into a 74-51 advantage at halftime.

Detroit was 11 of 23 on 3-point attempts in the first half and took a commanding lead despite just one point from Griffin. He missed his only two first-half shots, but had seven assists and six rebounds at intermission.

The Pistons, who led 103-77 after three quarters, got 13 points from Reggie Bullock, 10 coming in the first half, and 12 from Glenn Robinson III.

Taurean Prince returned to the Atlanta lineup after missing two games with a sprained ankle, but had just six points.

Jeremy Lin scored 19 points off the bench for the Hawks, and rookie Omari Spellman had 14 points and 10 rebounds.

The Pistons, who won on the road for the first time Wednesday in Orlando, are home Sunday against Charlotte. The Hawks begin a four-game road trip Sunday at the Los Angeles Lakers.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

NBA: Griffin's career game lifts Pistons over Sixers in OT

Blake Griffin scored a career-high 50 points, including a game-winning three-point play with 1.8 seconds left in overtime, and the Detroit Pistons edged the visiting Philadelphia 76ers 133-132 on Tuesday.

Griffin, whose previous career best was 47 points, made 20 of 35 field-goal attempts and 5 of 11 free-throw attempts. He added 14 rebounds and six assists.

Reggie Jackson supplied 23 points, Ish Smith tossed in 21 off the bench and Reggie Bullock added 17 for Detroit. Andre Drummond had 14 points and 16 rebounds before he was ejected late in regulation after picking up his second technical.

Joel Embiid racked up 33 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists, and JJ Redick had 30 points, six rebounds and six assists for Philadelphia. Robert Covington chipped in 16 points and eight rebounds.

Philadelphia point guard Ben Simmons missed the game with back tightness.

Griffin scored the first points of overtime, a three from the top of the key. He then found Smith in transition for another three.

Philadelphia then reeled off eight of the next 10 points, including a Redick three that tied it at 128-all. Redick missed a long two, then fouled Jackson with 20.5 seconds left. Jackson made both free throws.

Redick then came off a screen and drilled a three from the left wing while getting fouled by Jackson. Redick completed the four-point play to lead 132-130 with 5.6 seconds remaining and Detroit called timeout.

Griffin then took the inbounds pass, drove the lane and made a layup while getting fouled by Covington. Griffin hit the 50-point mark to give Detroit the one-point lead.

Philadelphia took its last timeout but Embiid missed a three at the buzzer.

Griffin scored 22 of his 28 first-half points in the second quarter, but the Sixers still emerged with a 64-61 halftime advantage.

Late in regulation, Griffin banked in a shot for a 120-all tie. Embiid then missed an open three, but Bullock followed by missing a runner in the lane. Philadelphia had the last shot in regulation and Dario Saric's 3-point try rolled off.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

NBA: Jackson leads Pistons past Hawks

LOS ANGELES, United States - Reggie Jackson made two clutch three pointers down the stretch as the Detroit Pistons won their fourth straight with a 111-104 victory over the Atlanta Hawks on Friday.

Jackson had 22 points and six assists for the Pistons, who gave away a 19-point lead before regaining control in front of a crowd of 16,600 at Little Caesars Arena.

Andre Drummond had 16 points, 20 rebounds and a career-high seven assists for Detroit, who improved to 9-3 on the season.

Avery Bradley tallied 20 points and Tobias Harris finished with 16 points and eight rebounds. Ish Smith came off the bench to finish with 17 points and five assists.

Kent Bazemore had 22 points, five rebounds and five assists for the Hawks (2-10). Dennis Schroder scored 17 points and 11 assists, John Collins tossed in 16 points and eight rebounds, Dewayne Dedmon added 13 points and nine rebounds and Marco Bellinelli chipped in 14 points.

Detroit led 76-69 heading into the fourth. The Hawks closed the gap to five early in the quarter and once again midway through after Bazemore made a jumper.

Bazemore's three-pointer from the top of the key and another from the wing tied it 94-94 with 3:49 left.

The teams traded scores until Jackson's three with 52.3 seconds left put the Pistons on top 103-100. Following Bellinelli's miss, Bradley made a free throw and collected the rebound after missing the second try. Jackson then drained another key three-pointer to clinch the win.

source: news.abs-cbn.com