The New York Knicks lost their 27th game in their last 29 chances and haven’t won a game at Madison Square Garden in over two months. Obviously, that’s not good. In fact, that’s exceptionally bad.
But before we talk about the bad stuff, there were some positive signs in Tuesday night’s loss to the Detroit Pistons. For one, Dennis Smith Jr. was a burst of energy all night long. He finished the night with 25 points, five rebounds, and six assists. He shot poorly from deep (2-for-9), but he attacked the basket well.
The Kristaps Porzingis trade brought three specific things to New York—draft picks, cap space, and a promising young player in Smith.