Paul Reed has a chance to do the funniest thing against the Knicks

The Detroit Pistons will return to action tonight in Madison Square Garden against the Knicks and backup center Paul Reed will get his chance to shine and to put some serious worry in New York, regardless of what they might say. 

Reed will get the starting nod with both Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart out of the lineup due to suspensions for fighting against the Hornets.  

The Pistons will be shorthanded against Karl-Anthony Towns and Mitchell Robinson, which is unfortunate, but it does give them an opportunity to rattle the Knicks if they can pull off an unlikely win. 

Detroit Pistons can still beat the Knicks 

The Pistons have already throttled the Knicks twice this season, both times without Jalen Duren, so they know they can beat the Knicks with their backup center, but this time Isaiah Stewart is out as well, leaving just Paul Reed. 

That’s not the worst thing, as Reed has played well as a starter this season, averaging 13.3 points, 7.9 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.6 blocks and 2.3 steals in the seven games he’s started. 

They will need all of that and more against KAT, who is a tough defensive assignment for any center, and Mitchell Robinson, who is a monster on the offensive glass. But if Reed has a big game and the Pistons win, Knicks social media is going to be in shambles, and it will be funny to watch them turn on KAT even more.

The Pistons will clearly be the underdog in this one, but that plays into their hands, as there is far more pressure on the Knicks to win this game. Their head coach, Mike Brown, said as much recently when asked if this game had more importance.  

If the Pistons beat the Knicks on the road with their third center, New York will have to do some soul searching, no matter how much their fans try to remind us that the regular season doesn’t matter. 

If the Pistons lose, that would displease me, but they’ll get All-Star Jalen Duren back the next game, and they move on. If they win, the Pistons have to feel good about themselves against the Knicks, as it will be the third time this season they’ve beaten them without their starting center. 

Of course, even if they beat the Knicks all four times this season, it all starts anew in the playoffs, and none of it will matter, but the young Pistons team is looking for any psychological advantage they can get. 

You can be sure that the Knicks and their fans will be up for this one, so the Pistons will have to match their energy. Detroit seems quietly confident, and Paul Reed will relish the chance he is given tonight, which is to put another exclamation point in the regular season against the Knicks.