Knicks forward Julius Randle (30) passes as Detroit Pistons center Isaiah Stewart (28) defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Feb. 28, 2021, in Detroit. Credit: AP/Carlos Osorio
Arriving in the early hours of Sunday morning after a hard-fought win the night before, the Knicks took the court at Little Caesars Arena Sunday night and looked every bit the tired team they had to be, playing in a nearly-empty arena against an also-ran opponent.
And then in the third quarter, the wake-up call came and the Knicks suddenly looked like the sort of team that maybe doesn’t look out of place climbing through the Eastern Conference standings.