New-look Pistons sloppy in exhibition opener, losing to Knicks

DETROIT – The Detroit Pistons were far from crisp Friday when they returned to the court for the first time in nine months with a revamped roster.

The Pistons didn’t shoot well, were turnover-prone and were out-rebounded by a wide margin in a 90-84 loss to the New York Knicks in their preseason opener with no fans in the stands at Little Caesars Arena.

Pistons coach Dwane Casey said earlier in the week that offense was the bigger concern following such a long layoff and with so many new players. He was right. The Pistons shot 33 percent from the floor (26-of-80), including 26 percent from 3-point range (10-of-39).

They had trouble taking care of the ball during training camp scrimmages and those issues carried over as they committed 22 turnovers, including seven by rookie point guard Killian Hayes. The Knicks, who like the Pistons hadn’t played a game since March 11, shot 46 percent, and had a 54-41 edge on the boards.

Svi Mykhailiuk and rookie Saddiq Bey led the Pistons with 14 points each off the bench. Mykhailiuk (4-of-8 3 pointers) started 27 games last season, his second in the league, and is competing for the starting shooting guard spot this year.

The Pistons got a look at all four of their rookies.

Hayes, the seventh pick in this year’s draft, started at the point, where it is his job to lose. He finished with five points on 2-of-7 shooting (0 for 3 3-pointers) in 21 minutes, adding four rebounds and three assists.

Bey, the 19th pick this year, provided a spark off the bench in the second quarter with a pair of 3-pointers. He was aggressive in looking for his shot (4-of-12, including 3-of-9 from beyond the arc).

Center Isaiah Stewart (selected 16th) had two points and guard Saben Lee (38th) no points in limited minutes.

The Pistons had to be encouraged with the way Blake Griffin and Derrick Rose were moving after both were plagued by injuries in 2019-20.

It was Griffin’s first game action since Dec. 28, prior to being sidelined for the season with a sore knee that required surgery in February.

Rose, who missed nine of the final 15 games with an ankle injury, scored 10 points.

Jerami Grant, the most significant of the team’s five free-agent acquisitions, struggled, making only 1-of-11 shots (0 for 5 from distance), and scoring six points in 22 minutes.

The Pistons and Knicks meet again Sunday (7 p.m., Fox Sports Detroit). To reduce travel, the NBA scheduled back-to-back games in the same city between the same clubs during the exhibition season and several times during the regular season.

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