New York -- In the second half of Monday's game the Pistons had nine available players.
A season-long oddity, the injury/illness situation had completely gotten out of hand.
They need healthy bodies. Purchase a ticket, make sure to bring your high-top shoes, and there might be a place for you on the Pistons roster.
They battled, this group has rarely given up, but ultimately lost to the Knicks, 99-91, ending a three-game win streak.
"We know what we have but we know we haven't had a chance to put it on the floor," said Ben Wallace, who had a season-high 16 points and 14 rebounds.
The Pistons feel they have a playoff contending team. But who can tell? They haven't been healthy enough, long enough, to show whether they are, or aren't.
Wednesday, when the Pistons host the Boston Celtics, the Pistons will reach the halfway point of the schedule.
After the loss to the Knicks, the Pistons stand 14-26 and are 4 1/2 games behind Chicago for the final playoff spot in the East.
They've got an uphill battle, obviously. But the Pistons begin a six-game home stand, and if there ever was an opportunity to slip back into the playoff picture, this is it.
"Absolutely, we have to take advantage of it 100 percent," Charlie Villanueva said. "We have to protect the home court. Hopefully, we can get these guys healthy and get on a run."
Get guys healthy. That has been a steady refrain since after opening night, the only time the roster has been whole.
Monday, already without Ben Gordon (groin), Tayshaun Prince (knee) and Will Bynum (ankle), the Pistons found out before the game Richard Hamilton wouldn't play because of a stomach ailment.
Then in the second half, Chris Wilcox was forced to the bench because of a sore back.
With only nine available bodies at that point, the Pistons still fought and led 70-68 heading into the fourth quarter, erasing a 57-43 Knicks halftime lead.
The difference in the fourth quarter?
"Some of our shot selections in key situations," Kuester said. "We were making sure that we got good looks, and we couldn't rush things. We had a couple of rushed shots.
"I give them (the Knicks) credit, they attacked us at the end."
One key stat: The Pistons were 0-for-12 from 3-point range. The Knicks were 10-for-22, or another way to look at it, 30 points to zero.
"We continue to play hard. We have to play hard regardless of who is out there on the floor," Wallace said. "Everyone that played today contributed. Everyone has to step up and help the team out.
"But at the end of the day, it was too much to overcome. We have guys out and we're just not healthy.
"We put up a good fight, but coming down the stretch we ran out of gas."
Rodney Stuckey scored 22 while Villanueva and Austin Daye, who replaced Hamilton in the starting lineup, matched Wallace's 16 points.
Nate Robinson came off the bench to score 27 for the Knicks (17-24).
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