This one is about pride.
After his team was shellacked by the conference-leading Pistons in their two previous matchups — including a beatdown less than two weeks ago — Knicks coach Mike Brown hopes his players are fired up for Thursday’s rematch at MSG.
“Yeah, it should [mean something more],” Brown said. “They didn’t just win the game, they beat us pretty bad. So for us, and I don’t like to say that this game is more important than the next game — every game is extremely important — but there comes a certain point when you’re in competition.
“If the wins and losses are as lopsided as those two losses, that should shake you up a little bit.”
The Knicks (35-20) lost their two games against the Pistons (40-13) this season by a combined 69 points. In their Feb. 6 defeat, they shot just 35.8 percent and scored just 80 points, a season low.
It was domination, and Brown believes competitiveness should kick in for Thursday. Still, the coach reiterated that the regular-season result won’t give any indication about playoff success against the Pistons.
“At the end of the day, if we win tomorrow or win the next two games — or how many games we play them — that doesn’t necessarily guarantee that we’re going to beat them come playoff time — or vice versa,” Brown said. “I’m a firm believer in that. I’ve been around this thing too long to see — some teams go 0-4 in the regular season and still win the series. … That part doesn’t matter. It’s just about how the first two games turned out for us [and having pride in reversing that].”
The Pistons will be without bruising centers Isaiah Stewart and Jalen Duren, who are suspended for their roles in a brawl last week against the Hornets.
Duren was suspended just two games, with Thursday being the second. Stewart, a repeat offender who left the team bench to confront Charlotte’s Moussa Diabaté, was suspended seven games.
OG Anunoby, a man of few words, described in short but queasy detail the toenail removal that kept him out of four games before the All-Star break.
“It’s a lot of pain,” he said. “Once it’s removed it’s an open wound. Like it’s just flesh and raw, bloody.”
Officially, Anunoby is listed as questionable for Thursday’s game against the Pistons, but he’s expected to play after going through a full practice Wednesday.
The 28-year-old said he didn’t know what led to the toenail problem or when it will grow back.
“I have no toenail,” he said. “I don’t know when, but it’s getting better every day. It feels better.”
The Knicks went 2-2 without Anunoby, including the ugly defeat in Detroit on Feb. 6. Against the Pistons, Anunoby is typically charged with defending Cade Cunningham.
“At that size and his skill set, you always miss that when he’s out,” Brown said. “It’s good to see him on the floor, for sure.”