DETROIT (Michigan News Source) – Down 53-45 at the half, Detroit gave up 33 points in the third quarter as New York ran away with the game in the preseason opener for the win, 117-96. Detroit only scored 21 points in their least productive quarter as New York took advantage to push their lead to, 94-78, headed into the final quarter.
First-round draft pick Jaden Ivey started the game playing in 22 minutes scoring 16 points on 6-of-9 shooting to lead the team. Isaiah Livers added 13 points while both Bojan Bogdanovic and Killian Hayes had 11 points. Rookie Jalen Duren posted 13 rebounds coming off the bench.
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The first quarter opened up with excitement as Detroit only trailed by one, 23-22, playing in New York at Madison Square Garden. New York jumped out to a 9-3 lead in the first three minutes but Detroit cut the lead to one, 9-8, on a 25-foot jumper with nine minutes left. By the 4:07 mark, New York moved their lead to eight points, 21-13, but Detroit ended the period on a 9-2 run to come within one, 23-22, at the end of the first. Cory Joseph made a three-pointer with 2:31 left in the period to pull within one and then neither team could score in the final two minutes.
New York started the second quarter on a 4-0 run to make it 27-22 at the 11:17 mark. By the 9:34 mark, the Knicks had their largest lead of the first half at nine, 36-27. With 8:22 left, New York pushed their lead to 13-points, 40-27, on a two-point shot by Miles McBride. Lives did pull Detroit to within eight, 40-32, on a three-pointer but that is as close as the Pistons would come the rest of the game. They did cut the lead to eight, once more, 61-53, on a Bogdanovic three-pointer with 32 seconds left in the half but New York scored the final four points for the 12-point lead at the half, 65-53.
Detroit shot just 7-of-19 (37%) in the third quarter as New York went to the middle to make seven shots in the arc area. They also posted two three-pointers and two other shots right on the three-point line to put up 33 points and run away with the game.
Detroit will be back on the road again on Friday, October 7, when they travel to New Orleans to face the Pelicans at 8:00 p.m. eastern.
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