The Knicks improved dramatically under the command of first year coach Tom Thibodeau, winning 18 of their first 35 games, after needing 60 games to reach that winning total last season.
See this from a member of his 21-45 team in 2019-20, a player who was on the wrong side of Sunday’s 109-90 beat in Detroit.
“It starts with the job,” said Pistons guard Wayne Ellington, when asked about the Knicks after the game. “These guys, I was in New York last year, and I was talking to Julius [Randle] before the game, and he said, ‘Dude, it’s completely different, it’s night and day.’
“Just our approach, our mindset coming up, how Thibs has these guys working and how he makes them compete on the ground. It is a process. They have a lot of the same guys they had last year. These young people have stepped forward and are learning to play and win. And it’s showing up. “
Ellington, who has played for nine teams over 12 NBA seasons, appeared in 36 games (one match) under coaches David Fizdale and Mike Miller with the Knicks last season.
The 33-year-old also praised his former team’s defense on Sunday night, saying that the Pistons “did not move the ball enough” and did not “kick it out” in their 3-point attempts.
“This is part of their defense that Thibs preaches, he wants to get the paint off,” said Ellington. “They are a heavy ink team. We went into the painting a few times and had some shots blocked instead of kicking them out. “
The Knicks recorded seven blocks, including three from Nerlens Noel, in victory. After Tuesday’s game in San Antonio, the Knicks will face the worst Pistons of the conference again on Thursday at the Garden, before this weekend’s All-Star break.