DETROIT – An eight-game winning streak didn’t just end on Friday evening.
It had walked out of the gym.
The Pistons repeated their position at the top of the East with a 118-80 curb appeal of the short-handed Knicks, who were a disaster on offense while losing for the first time since Jan. 19.
Jalen Brunson played the night in the dark while shooting just 4-for-20 with 12 points, appearing exhausted after carrying the Knicks in a double-OT thriller two nights earlier.
Brunson was locked up by Ausar Thompson and sat next to his fellow starters for the entire fourth quarter, with coach Mike Brown waving the white flag earlier than ever.
Overall, they shot just 35.8 percent — including 24.2 percent on 3s — as James Dolan made the trip to Detroit and witnessed the ugliness before leaving his courtside seat for the fourth quarter.
It was by far the fewest points the Knicks scored this season.
Their previous low was 90 points – also in Detroit.
The Pistons (38-13), who are now five and a half games ahead of the Knicks (33-19) for first place in the East, were faster, stronger and more motivated – just like their last matchup about a month ago.
They clearly wanted to send another message after being eliminated by New York in the first round of the playoffs last year.
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Detroit didn’t even need a big night from star Cade Cunningham (11 points, 22 minutes) to dominate.
The Knicks, meanwhile, had the attitude of punting this game.
Jose Alvarado, the new addition, did not join the team in Detroit.
He will likely meet the Knicks in Boston for Sunday’s game.
Karl-Anthony Towns sat out due to an eye tear.
OG Anunoby was late due to toe pain.
Josh Hart started but limped off the field in the second half and never returned.
So the Knicks started rookie Mohamed Diawara and Mitchell Robinson and their offense fell off a cliff.
Of course, the Pistons — a team that employs physicality and athleticism at levels above the Knicks — had a lot to do with the struggle.
In two games against the Pistons, the Knicks have averaged 85 points, with an overall margin of defeat of 69.
It’s a potentially ominous sign, as the Knicks and Pistons could meet in the playoffs, whether in the second round or in the conference finals.
But coach Mike Brown doesn’t see it that way.
“I don’t look at regular-season games as a barometer because when the playoffs come around, it’s a different basketball game,” he said. “Especially when you’re talking about a seven-game series. I’ve been with several teams that went to the finals or played deep in the playoffs, lost the season series to teams and still won in the playoffs.”
“I look at it like it’s our next game,” he added. “It’s very important. These guys handed us our lunch last time. And so we have to come and fight. Those are things I’m looking for tonight.”
“I don’t look like if we win, we’re going to get them in playoff time. Or if they win, they’re going to get us in playoff time.”
The Knicks can fall back on history if we ever get another playoff series against the Pistons.
Last year they were swept by the Celtics in the regular season, but were toppled in the second round.
So there is indeed hope, whatever happens in the regular competition.
But there’s no doubt that the Knicks have been utterly outmatched by Detroit in two ugly games.
On Friday, they managed just 17 points in the first quarter and 42 points after the second.
They trailed by 21 at the break, which fittingly ended when Brunson was denied by Paul Reed at the buzzer.
For the Knicks, it was terrible up to that point and it didn’t get better.
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