New York Knicks, Jeremy Lin Beat Pistons at MSG
The New York Knicks returned to winning ways -- claiming a sixth win in their past seven games by beating the Detroit Pistons 101-79 at Madison Square Garden Saturday night.
Tyson Chandler led New York with 15 points, while tying a season high with 17 rebounds. The Knicks had five players in double figures, including Carmelo Anthony with 15 points and Jeremy Lin with 13 points. The Knicks shot 49 percent from the field, compared with the Pistons' 37 percent.
New York ended a five-game winning streak on Friday night with a 96-79 loss to the Toronto Raptors on the road. The Knicks controlled the boards on Saturday, however, outrebounding Detroit 54-30 to claim the win, helped by their balanced offensive attack. The Knicks moved to within one game of .500 -- 24-25 -- with the win, while sweeping the three-game regular-season series with the Pistons.
It was a good way to come back and redeem ourselves from last night, said Anthony, in an interview with the MSG Network after the game. We did it from the beginning. We needed to get the rebounds and get out in transition.
Lin left the court late in the third quarter and went to the locker room followed by New York's medical staff. He returned to the Knicks bench before the start of the fourth quarter and was said to have a sore left knee, but was still able to play. He did not return to the game, however, sitting out the fourth quarter.
He's fine, said head coach Mike Woodson in a postgame press conference. He could have come back if we needed him.
Amar'e Stoudemire also went to the locker room in the second half with a strained lower back and did not return to action after scoring 17 points on seven-of-10 shooting from the field and grabbing eight rebounds in 24 minutes of play.
The Knicks led 49-37 at the half, despite 14 turnovers. The team was led in the first half by Chandler, with 11 points and 14 rebounds. Also in the first half, Lin had 10 points and three assists -- with five turnovers, several the result of teammates bobbling good passes.
If it wasn't for the turnovers, we would be up maybe 20 points right now, assistant coach Darrell Walker said in an interview with the MSG Network at the half.
Woodson said after the game in his press conference that the team's high turnovers are a conern. We'll go back and show Jeremy and Baron [Davis] where the mistakes are being made and hope we can correct them.
The Knicks responded with another strong defensive and rebounding effort -- which has been typical during the team's recent winning ways.
The Knicks host the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday night, the team they are battling for a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
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