This is what is called a fire re-entry. Sent onto the floor of Madison Square Garden four minutes from the end of the first quarter, Malik Beasley had, three minutes later, no less than… four prize-winning baskets on the clock!
The Pistons guard, who had already planted seven award-winning baskets on the same floor in mid-December, was subsequently much more discreet by missing a total of three shots in the following two quarters.
Then came the final period during which a Knicks fan in the front row did not hesitate to poke him a little. “ Hats off to the Knicks fan. He told me I made four 3-pointers in the first quarter and hadn't done anything since. I told him, 'Look at this.' “, reports Malik Beasley (22 points at 6/8 from distance in 22 minutes) to The Athletic.
And the fan in question saw. The shooting specialist crucified not once, but twice the New Yorkers in the last minute with two award-winning baskets in the same area.
Two huge shots that he did not fail to celebrate by first pointing probably at the spectator, then dancing, taking the break, celebrating with Isaiah Stewart. Then delivering a kiss to the audience.
Adopted from day one
A hell of a show for the second most prolific 3-point shooter in volume in the league this season, behind Anthony Edwards. “ I got the ball, I made the 3-pointer, I yelled at him (the fan) and then I converted a second one “, he summarizes. This sequence says a lot about what he brings to the Pistons. In addition to the technical dimension, “ he has incomparable energy “, qualifies Isaiah Stewart.
“ We cannot quantify his energy, the impact he has because of the joy he displays every day while working. His way of bringing people together. There is no equation, no advanced statistics for that. It is difficult for me to express it in words. I just know we're extremely lucky, we really value it “, praises their coach JB Bickerstaffdelighted by the confidence displayed by Cade Cunningham, taken two on both actions, then Tim Hardaway Jr, to serve Malik Beasley.
The latter obviously integrated very quickly into the Pistons. “ From day one to be honest. When Beas introduced himself, there was no warm-up process, no getting-to-know-you process. He was in good shape immediately. His teammates and us coaches, we try to put a pile on his back, to continue to give him this confidence, the green light. But there was no doubt about who he was and what he would bring to the team », continues JB Bickerstaff.
Namely, providing a constant outside threat, capable of stretching the game and sanctioning double-takes aimed at the team leader, as he did last night.
| Malik Beasley | Percentage | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | L.F. | Off | Def | Early | Pd | Party | Int | Bp | Ct | Pts |
| 2016-17 | DEN | 22 | 8 | 45.2 | 32.1 | 80.0 | 0.2 | 0.5 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 3.8 |
| 2017-18 | DEN | 62 | 9 | 41.0 | 34.1 | 66.7 | 0.2 | 0.9 | 1.1 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 3.2 |
| 2018-19 | DEN | 81 | 23 | 47.4 | 40.2 | 84.8 | 0.4 | 2.0 | 2.5 | 1.2 | 1.4 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.1 | 11.3 |
| 2019-20 * | All Teams | 55 | 22 | 42.5 | 38.8 | 81.8 | 0.3 | 2.4 | 2.7 | 1.4 | 1.4 | 0.7 | 1.0 | 0.1 | 11.2 |
| 2019-20 * | DEN | 41 | 18 | 38.9 | 36.0 | 86.8 | 0.2 | 1.7 | 1.9 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 0.8 | 0.9 | 0.1 | 7.9 |
| 2019-20 * | MIN | 14 | 33 | 47.2 | 42.6 | 75.0 | 0.6 | 4.4 | 5.1 | 1.9 | 1.9 | 0.6 | 1.5 | 0.1 | 20.7 |
| 2020-21 | MIN | 37 | 33 | 44.0 | 39.9 | 85.0 | 0.8 | 3.6 | 4.4 | 2.4 | 1.7 | 0.8 | 1.6 | 0.2 | 19.6 |
| 2021-22 | MIN | 79 | 25 | 39.1 | 37.7 | 81.7 | 0.3 | 2.5 | 2.9 | 1.5 | 1.1 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 12.1 |
| 2022-23 * | All Teams | 81 | 26 | 39.5 | 35.7 | 76.9 | 0.4 | 3.1 | 3.5 | 1.5 | 1.3 | 0.8 | 1.1 | 0.1 | 12.7 |
| 2022-23 * | UTH | 55 | 27 | 39.6 | 35.9 | 84.1 | 0.5 | 3.1 | 3.6 | 1.7 | 1.4 | 0.8 | 1.1 | 0.1 | 13.4 |
| 2022-23 * | LAL | 26 | 24 | 39.2 | 35.3 | 61.9 | 0.3 | 3.0 | 3.3 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 0.8 | 1.2 | 0.0 | 11.1 |
| 2023-24 | MIL | 79 | 30 | 44.3 | 41.3 | 71.4 | 0.5 | 3.2 | 3.7 | 1.4 | 2.0 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.1 | 11.3 |
| 2024-25 | DET | 40 | 28 | 42.6 | 40.4 | 69.7 | 0.6 | 2.5 | 3.0 | 1.9 | 1.5 | 0.9 | 1.1 | 0.1 | 16.5 |
| Total | 536 | 24 | 42.5 | 38.7 | 78.6 | 0.4 | 2.4 | 2.8 | 1.4 | 1.3 | 0.7 | 0.8 | 0.1 | 11.3 | |
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def=defensive rebound; Tot = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; Pts = Points.
