Knicks vs. Pistons Preseason: How & What to Watch
After 177 days, there's hardwood laid down at Madison Square Garden again.
Those boards are ready to host New York Knicks basketball for the first time since April 10, as the metropolitan hosts take on the Detroit Pistons in each side's 2022 preseason opener. New York and Detroit are meeting in the preseason for the third consecutive season, with the Knicks winning last year's early fall get-together in Manhattan by a 108-100 final en route to a perfect exhibition slate. Julius Randle put in a 29-point, 11-rebound double-double in the triumph.
What: Detroit Pistons (0-0) @ New York Knicks (0-0) (Preseason)
Where: Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
When/Watch: Tuesday, 7 p.m. ET, MSG/TNT
Keep An Eye On: Cam Reddish
The Knicks' issues at two-guard won't be solved on Tuesday, but head coach Tom Thibodeau has at least provided a path forward. It's proven controversial in the eyes of some but the Knicks plan to at least start with Evan Fournier, labeled the "frontrunner" by Thibodeau to win the top spot. Those energized by Quentin Grimes summer ... putting on a Sin City showcase and sticking around despite the Donovan Mitchell whispers ... will have to be patient, as foot soreness will keep him sidelined for the unofficial opening proceedings (fellow Summer Leaguer DaQuan Jeffries is also in concussion protocol and will not play).
That leaves a prime opportunity for Reddish, set to enter a crucial fourth season, to make an instant impact. The former Atlanta Hawks struggled to carve a role for himself in Thibodeau's rotation but was slowly starting to see an uptick in minutes before a shoulder injury, averaging just under 20 minutes a game before his season prematurely ended (as opposed to only 14 minutes in his first 11).
While Reddish feels "blessed" entering this new season and grateful to be stickng around in New York after his name was included in countless hypothetical trades. But, despite his optimism, even he doesn't appear to know exactly where he fits in as he tries to regain the narrative on his NBA career.
Thibodeau has always been stern in his "earn your minutes" approach, but it'd be downright foolhardy not to at least see what you have in Reddish, especially if Grimes' foot issues, still labeled a day-to-day concern, extend to the regular season. If those minutes indeed come, then Reddish must be ready to take full advantage.
Piston to Watch: Jalen Duren
Tuesday's preseason opener will feature a reunion with a former Knicks, but don't expect any video tribute to appear on GardenVision.
Detroit's lauded offseason featured a lucrative draft that landed then Jaden Ivey and Jalen Duren. The latter embarked on a bit of draft night odyssey, originally landing in Charlotte before spending a few hours with the Knicks. New York eventually traded the 18-year-old Memphis alum and AAC Freshman of the Year as part of a quest to build a Jalen Brunson savings account.
While that plan succeeded, it'll be interesting to see how the next few years pan out: Duren wasn't the only interior threat the Knicks dealt away that night for Brunson bucks, having also shipped Ousmane Dieng to Oklahoma City. With Duren so young, the Knicks opted for pros over projects in the paint, re-upping with both Mitchell Robinson and Jericho Sims while signing Isaiah Hartenstein. While the gambit is something to keep an eye on in the long-term, Duren has a chance to at least plant seeds of doubt in the Knicks' mind on Tuesday night.
Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags
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