Knicks vs. Pistons Preview: How, Who to Watch In Extra Garden Party

The New York Knicks face the woebegone Detroit Pistons on Monday night at Madison Square Garden.

What's old is new again at Madison Square Garden. 

Evan Fournier, Malachi Flynn, and Quentin Grimes will return to MSG on Monday night, as the Detroit Pistons will face the New York Knicks for the first time since a trade deadline deal sent Bojan Bogdanovic and Alec Burks east.

The deal was set to give the Knicks one of the deepest lineups in the NBA but, with OG Anunoby and Julius Randle still missing, the team has struggled to the tune of losses in six of their past eight games, including Saturday's 116-102 defeat at the hands of the Boston Celtics. 

What the Knicks are going through, however, is heavenly compared to the Pistons' season, which continues to sit at the bottom of the league. Detroit's latest losing streak currently stands at five after a 112-109 loss to the Orlando Magic on Saturday night.

Monday's game between the Knicks and Pistons was originally slated to be held in Detroit but was moved to Madison Square Garden to compensate New York for being forced into an extra road game during the elimination stage of the In-Season Tournament in December. The Knicks will look to continue handling business against the woebegone Pistons, as they've prevailed in each of the past 13 meetings with the Motor City.

What: Detroit Pistons (8-48) @ New York Knicks (34-23)

Where: Madison Square Garden, New York, NY

When/Watch: Monday, 7:30 p.m. ET, MSG

Who's Favored: NYK -11

Vincent Carchietta, USA TODAY SPORTS

Keep An Eye On: Alec Burks

One would think that Burks wouldn't need much of a transition period considering his prior Knicks experience under Tom Thibodeau but his first five games back in blue and orange have been a struggle: things got off to a decent start (7-of-14 in a loss to Indiana) but has shot just over 27 percent from the field in the four games since then. Burks has been the primary spell option for Jalen Brunson since Grimes and Immanuel Quickley left, but the Knicks have proven incapable of giving their MVP a rest: the Knicks have been a minus-43 on the scoreboard when Burks has been on the floor, which has negated excellent opening periods from Brunson. Is a visit from his former comrades a recipe to make things right?

Piston to Watch: Quentin Grimes

Grimes was the headliner of the Knicks' package that brought in Bogdanovic and Burks and it was perhaps the best thing for him: originally stationed in the Knicks' starting five this season, the relatively-exiled Grimes has a consequence-free chance to reclaim the narrative of his NBA career in Detroit, looking to expand beyond the fringe starter reputation he developed in Manhattan. Monday will mark Grimes' second game in a Pistons uniform, as he was working off an injury that plagued that last days of his Knicks career.

They Said It

“His tenacity, getting over screens and staying in front of the ball (is great.) Once he figures out what we’re doing in real time — you can do all that stuff in walk-throughs and practice but in the game, it’s a bit different — I like what he brings to the table.”-Pistons head coach Monty Williams on former Knick Quentin Grimes (h/t Jared Schwartz, New York Post)

Knicks, Quentin Grimes Hit a Painful, Telling Landmark

Prediction

The Knicks are undoubtedly playing short of their full potential but, fortunately, there's a major pressure drop on Monday night. Even in their relatively depleted state, they should be able to beat this Pistons group without two of their major starters ... and if they don't, it's suddenly time for a much more uncomfortable conversation.

Knicks 112, Pistons 90