Detroit @ New York preview

Last Meeting ( Dec 22, 2017 ) New York 101, Detroit 104

The Detroit Pistons buried themselves in the Eastern Conference playoff race with a recent 3-13 stretch, but they seem intent on finishing strong. The Pistons aim for their fourth consecutive victory when they visit the New York Knicks on Saturday.

A 3-0 homestand - capped by Thursday's 103-92 win over Washington - gave Detroit a 5-1 mark since that earlier 16-game swoon and kept the squad within five games of eighth-place Milwaukee with seven to play. Andre Drummond produced 24 points and 23 rebounds in the victory over the Wizards for his fifth consecutive double-double. "Obviously, 24 and 23 is incredible, but that doesn't tell you how good he really was," Detroit coach Stan Van Gundy told reporters. "He was so active on both ends of the floor that he changed the game." The Knicks are coming off a loss at Philadelphia and begin a five-game homestand with an 18-18 mark at Madison Square Garden.

TV: 5 p.m. ET, FS Detroit, MSG (New York)

ABOUT THE PISTONS (35-40): Thursday's victory came without power forward Blake Griffin, who was a late scratch due to an ankle contusion and underwent an MRI, with the results due Friday. Point guard Reggie Jackson continues to progress in his return from a 37-game layoff due to an ankle injury, going for 13 points and eight assists in 28 minutes versus Washington. "Reggie still doesn't have his legs back -- he played 28 minutes tonight and he was really tired -- but we were able to go back to running that offense," Van Gundy told the media. "He had eight assists, but if you look at the passes he made where we missed shots, he could have had even more."

ABOUT THE KNICKS (27-49): One of the few remaining dramas as New York plays out the string is the fluctuating situation in the backcourt, as young guards fight to be a part of the franchise's plans going forward. Trey Burke recently took the starting job from Emmanuel Mudiay, but that latter was outstanding in Wednesday's 118-101 loss to the 76ers with 22 points in 25 minutes off the bench. "He just was on the attack," coach Jeff Hornacek told reporters of Mudiay after the loss. "He made some plays. He's got the ball handling ability to get in on the pick and rolls and hold guys off. He's able to hold guys off and then make shots. He's trying the best he can. I don't think his mentality is any different from when he was starting. He's just trying to play hard."

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Drummond averaged 19.5 points on 63 percent shooting with 13.5 rebounds as Detroit took the first two meetings.

2. Pistons PF Anthony Tolliver scored 14 points starting in place of Griffin on Thursday and is averaging 18 over his last three contests to raise his season mark to 8.1.

3. Burke averaged 26.3 points and seven assists over his first three starts.

PREDICTION: Pistons 106, Knicks 104