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For more on the Detroit Pistons, check out Detroit Bad Boys. You can also head over to SB Nation's main hub at SBNation.com/NBA.
The Pistons will try to avoid tying their longest losing streak of the season Tuesday when they head to New York to play the reeling Knicks.
Detroit has dropped five straight, the most since a six-game skid from Jan. 4 to Jan 12. The current streak has been equal parts heartbreak and blowout. The Pistons fell to the Heat by just three, and then lost to the Hawks in overtime. Those nail-biters, however, were bookended with a 20-point loss to the Thunder, and, most recently, a pair of 21-point defeats to Philadelphia and Milwaukee.
The streak has dropped the Pistons to 4-18, just a half-game ahead of Charlotte in the Eastern Conference cellar.
Second-year big man Greg Monroe continues to shine for Detroit. The 21-year-old is averaging 15.8 points and 9.5 boards, both team highs. Monroe has scored in double-figures in each of the last eight games and has four straight double-doubles.
Outside of him, though, it’s been a struggle. The Pistons’ second-leading scorer, Ben Gordon, has missed the last six games and is not with the team on its current three-game road trip. Rookie Brandon Knight has shown flashes of both brilliance and youth: After scoring 17 and 20 in back-to-back games last week, he tallied nine and 0 in the last two.
New York is having its own problems. The Knicks have lost three in a row and nine of 10. Carmelo Anthony is reportedly doubtful with a bum ankle.
Pistons Vs. Knicks Final Score: Detroit Crushed 113-86 In New York
The Detroit Pistons (4-19) started January with a big 89-78 win over the Orlando Magic, but they have now ended January with six straight losses, a losing streak punctuated by a 113-86 loss to the New York Knicks (8-13) at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday night.
As has been the case throughout much of the month and the season, the Pistons were never seriously competitive on Tuesday night, losing all four quarters, and they trailed every minute of the game for the second straight night.
Carmelo Anthony made 9-14 shots and delivered 25 points as the Knicks shot a blistering 60.0 % from the field overall.
Jonas Jerebko led the Pistons with 15 points in 15 minutes off the bench.
Detroit will have no time to rest as they visit the New Jersey Nets (7-15) on Wednesday night in a game scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m. eastern.
For more on the Detroit Pistons, check out Detroit Bad Boys. You can also head over to SB Nation's main hub at SBNation.com/NBA.
Jan 31 10:07p by Alex Boeder