The New York Knicks overcame an injury to Carmelo Anthony and an incredible first-half shooting performance by the Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday, but they may not be as fortunate on Wednesday when they visit the Detroit Pistons.
Antony left Monday's win over the Cavs in the second quarter after he tripped over his own feet and fell to the ground. His knee bent awkwardly and he got up immediately under his own power, but went straight to the locker room.
"Just sore -- not pain -- sore and stiffness," Anthony said after the game. "They did manual tests, like ligament tests and there's no problems. It was just real tight, real sore in the back. I didn't really have the control I wanted to in that leg tonight."
Anthony will be evaluated again and his status for Wednesday is questionable.
The Cavs shot over 68 percent from the field in the first half and when Anthony left the game, the Knicks were down 22.
"I was about ready to leave the arena," head coach Mike Woodson joked.
They started the third quarter on a 10-0 run and won the second half, 53-36. Amare Stoudemire was the key to the comeback with a season best-tying 22 points. After playing very little in the fourth quarter of Sunday's loss to the Miami Heat, Stoudemire actually played almost 32 minutes. He's supposed to be restricted to 30 minutes to protect his knees.
"I was trying to keep it right there," Woodson said of Stoudemire's minutes restriction. "He stepped up, played big and I played him the minutes. He's a big piece to the puzzle."
The Pistons have lost two straight, both on the road, although their home losing streak is at three.
Last time out on Sunday, the Pistons were decimated by the San Antonio Spurs, 114-75, and were dominated in almost every conceivable way.
The Spurs shot 50.6 percent from the field to 32.6 percent for the Pistons. San Antonio made 45 percent of its 3-pointers, Detroit only 31 percent. The Spurs had 11 turnovers, the Pistons 19. Detroit lost the rebounding battle, 49-46.
Greg Monroe paced the Pistons with 16 points and Jose Calderon added 14. Jonas Jerebko and Charlie Villanueva had 10 points apiece for Detroit and Villanueva also pulled down 10 rebounds.
The Pistons are all but mathematically out of the playoff hunt with just a quarter of the season remaining. That doesn't mean they relax since there are lessons to be learned.
"We have to really, really be committed because it only gets harder," said head coach Lawrence Frank. "Not our motivation, but the other teams we're playing are vying for things. They ain't messing around and we have to come with that same mentality. If we ever want to be a playoff team, you can't wait to adopt that mentality."
The Pistons have a home game against the Dallas Mavericks on Friday, then head west for four straight.
The Knicks will go for the four-game season sweep of the Pistons on Wednesday. They have taken six straight, 10 of 11 and four of the past six at The Palace of Auburn Hills.
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