New York — Two weeks after opening the preseason with a lopsided loss, the Pistons returned to Madison Square Garden looking to spoil the Knicks' flashy home opener.
There were lightshows during pregame introductions, dance presentations during timeouts and halftime, and celebrity appearances, including Knicks superfan Spike Lee.
However, it wasn't long after the ball was tipped before Detroit's plans were quickly thwarted in a 130-106 loss on Friday, the team's ninth consecutive loss to the Knicks dating back to 2020.
The game got ugly quickly. Detroit (1-1) fell into a 25-point hole in the second quarter due to poor shooting — from the field and free-throw line — along with lackluster defense and foul trouble.