Pistons look to rebound against last-place Knicks

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. – After surrendering a double-digit lead to Cleveland, the Detroit Pistons look to rebound against the visiting New York Knicks before embarking on an extended road trip that could determine their postseason future.

The Pistons currently sit tied for 10th in the East - one game out of eighth – and will play seven of their next eight on the road. Detroit couldn't have asked for an easier send off than New York, which has dropped eight straight games and the first two to Detroit this season.

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Several teams are tanking to set themselves up for the lottery, but the Pistons are striving to make the playoffs, and coach Stan Van Gundy is focused on improving every day.

"We just try to go out every night and play as well as you can and the results will take care of themselves," Van Gundy said. "Obviously, who wins the most games (will make the playoffs), but you have no idea: schedule, injuries, how well you play; again, we don't even talk about it."

The Knicks haven't gotten ahead of anybody lately with six of their losses during the skid by double-digits while averaging 90 points in the eight contests.

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, MSG (New York), FSN Detroit

ABOUT THE PISTONS (23-34): Detroit couldn't hold a 14-point third-quarter lead, scoring just 31 points on 30.8 percent shooting with eight turnovers in the second half in Tuesday's 102-93 loss to Cleveland. Reggie Jackson had 22 points, nine assists and eight rebounds in his second game with the Pistons.

"I thought Reggie has played very well," Van Gundy said. "He's got to get better on the defensive end, so that's something we have to work on, but I like the way he rebounded the ball, and he was aggressive on offense."

ABOUT THE KNICKS (10-46): New York actually was leading Boston late in the third quarter before yielding 20 unanswered points to fall behind 91-72 with just over nine minutes to play. Andrea Bargnani scored 17 points off the bench for the Knicks and Jason Smith chipped in 14 and 10 rebounds, but New York was outscored 42-6 from the arc.

"We're down a couple bodies right now, but at the same time we've just got to continue to (play hard and compete at both ends) and we're getting better at it," Knicks guard Langston Galloway said. "It's a struggle to try and do it this late in the season but we're trying to do it each and every game."

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Detroit F Tayshaun Prince started and scored seven points in 31 minutes against Cleveland in his first game as a Piston since he was traded to Memphis in January 2013 and then Boston.

2. Pistons big men Greg Monroe and Andre Drummond have combined to average 25.9 points and 25 rebounds the past 10 games while G Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is shooting 47.4 percent from the arc.

3. With 26 games remaining, New York needs to win 11 to avoid setting a club record for fewest wins (21 in 1962-63 and 1960-61) in a season.