Drummond leads Pistons over Knicks, 115-109
Andre Drummond had 22 points and 17 rebounds to lead five starters in double-figure scoring as the visiting Detroit Pistons picked up a crucial 115-109 win over the New York Knicks on Saturday night at Madison Square Garden.
Michael Beasley had 32 points and streaking point guard Trey Burke added 18 points and 15 assists to lead the Knicks, who lost their third straight game and for the fifth time in six games.
Without Blake Griffin, who is sidelined with a bone contusion, the Pistons won their fourth straight game. Detroit remains in ninth place in the Eastern Conference playoff race, 4 1/2 games behind Miami, which lost to Brooklyn later Saturday night.
Reggie Jackson had 17 points for the Pistons, who shot 52 percent from the field and 42 percent from 3-point range. Anthony Tolliver had 17 points, Reggie Bullock had 16 points and Stanley Johnson added 10 for the Pistons.
Tim Hardaway Jr. had 18 points for the Knicks, who shot 47 percent from the field and 45 percent from 3-point range. Kyle O'Quinn added 8 points and 15 rebounds for New York.
The Pistons' bench outscored the Knicks', 33-22.
Detroit used an 11-0 run at the close of the third quarter to take a four-point lead before Lance Thomas hit a 3-pointer with less than two seconds left to cut the Pistons' lead to 85-84 heading into the fourth quarter.
After Detroit went ahead 48-39 with 5:55 left in the second quarter, the Knicks tied it at 50 on a Trey Burke 3-pointer and only trailed by two, 56-54, at the half.
The Pistons took control with a mid-first-quarter run in which they went from down one to up 24-17 before eventually going into the second quarter up 30-27.
Detroit has a quick turnaround, heading across the Brooklyn Bridge to Barclays Center on Sunday night to play the Nets.
The Knicks stay home for the second of a five-game homestand on Tuesday when they host Orlando at Madison Square Garden.
--Field Level Media
