Detroit @ New York preview

Last Meeting ( Mar 27, 2017 ) Detroit 95, New York 109

Despite splitting their first two games of the season, the Detroit Pistons are showing some signs they might be poised to improve upon last year's 37-45 campaign. The Pistons continue a stretch of three games in four days Saturday when they visit Madison Square Garden to meet the New York Knicks to wrap up a two-game road trip.

Detroit got its season started off on the right foot in its new downtown home - Little Caesars Arena - with a 102-90 victory over Charlotte on Wednesday, committing only eight turnovers while riding the hot shooting of Tobias Harris. The Pistons followed that effort by pushing Washington to the limit on the road, climbing all the way back from a 15-point deficit early in the fourth quarter before settling for a 115-111 loss to the Wizards. Kristaps Porzingis more than held his own against former teammate Carmelo Anthony with 31 points and 12 rebounds, but Enes Kanter (10) was the only other Knick who reached double figures in Thursday's 105-84 setback in Oklahoma City to the Thunder. New York battled Oklahoma City to a draw on the boards (41-41) but shot 36 percent from the field after a torrid first quarter and ended up committing 26 turnovers.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, FSN Detroit, MSG (New York)

ABOUT THE PISTONS (1-1): Andre Drummond was well on his way to a double-double against Washington after entering the break with nine points and 10 rebounds, but he was unable to assist the Pistons during their late rally after he picked up three fouls over a 46-second span to disqualify himself late in the third quarter. While Drummond fell just short of reaching double figures, Detroit received at least 10 points from seven players, including a team-high 21 from Reggie Jackson and 20 from Avery Bradley. Henry Ellenson did not play Friday after scoring 13 points over 16 minutes in the opener, while first-round rook Luke Kennard tallied all 11 of his points in the second quarter after not playing Wednesday.

ABOUT THE KNICKS (0-1): Even though it was just one game, Porzingis appears to have embraced being the clear top option for New York, as his 25 field-goal attempts from the field were two more than his previous career high and 10 more than he averaged last season (14.9). “I feel good physically. I feel stronger. I feel more comfortable in the paint. I’ll try to stay aggressive and stay in the paint. That’s going to bring me easy points. I’ll try to do whatever I can offensively to help the team," Porzingis told reporters. First-round draft pick Frank Ntilikina, who missed both of his shots and was held scoreless over eight minutes in his NBA debut Thursday, is questionable for Saturday after spraining his left ankle in practice Friday.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. After shooting 0-for-13 from the floor Wednesday, Pistons F Stanley Johnson sank all three of his field-goal attempts - including a 3-pointer - on Friday.

2. The Knicks' 26 turnovers in the opener matched their most in a game since Dec. 3, 2008.

3. Detroit G Langston Galloway, who scored 16 points off the bench in the opener, played the first two years of his career with New York from 2014-16.

PREDICTION: Pistons 107, Knicks 94