NBA in London: New York Knicks ease past Detroit Pistons at the O2 Arena
The New York Knicks showcased their NBA title credentials with a 102-87 win over the Detroit Pistons in London.
Last Updated: 19/01/13 11:02am
Star forward Carmelo Anthony led the way with 26 points, while Amar'e Stoudemire and JR Smith racked up 17 and 16 respectively from the bench.
Dominant centre Tyson Chandler recorded a double-double of 10 points and 14 rebounds as the Knicks improved to 25-13, the second-best record in the Eastern Conference.
Detroit, who were officially playing at home, enjoyed a brief rally at the start of the second half but were outclassed for the majority of the contest.
The Knicks raced out to a 14-point lead with under four minutes gone in the first quarter as Anthony immediately found his range by draining two three-pointers.
The Pistons could do little to limit the damage as the quarter progressed and New York led 27-19 at the buzzer. Anthony had already contributed 11 points to the cause.
The Knicks remained in control through the second quarter, although there was a scary moment when Chandler was sent crashing to the floor by Austin Daye, who was whistled for a Flagrant 1 foul.
Chandler was able to continue and took his rebound tally to 10 by half-time as the Knicks went into the interval with a comfortable 56-41 lead.
The Pistons finally sparked into life in the third quarter, reducing the deficit to four points as Will Bynum and Kyle Singler added some much-needed scoring impetus.
Their momentum did not last, however, as the Knicks again established some breathing space and regained a double-digit lead by the end of the period.
Bynum improved his points tally to 22 by the end of the game but the Pistons never looked like mounting a proper comeback in the final quarter.