AUBURN HILLS, Mich. — If the Knicks do in January what they’ve done in December, then David Lee may be heading to the All-Star Game in February.
With Lee putting together another ferocious performance in racking up 30 points, 12 rebounds and 5 assists, the Knicks’ dizzying December raged on with a rousing road rout of the fading Pistons, 104-87, last night at The Palace.
The Knicks (12-19) are 9-5 in this Nate-free December and need a victory tonight in Jersey against the pathetic Nets to post their first double-digit victory month since January, 2003.
Lee, in posting his sixth straight double-double, made 13 of 19 buckets, his mid-range jumper becoming a dangerous force instead of a liability.
“I think I have a shot [at the All-Star Game], but it’s not something I’ll worry about,” Lee told The Post. “The most important thing is our team is playing better and that makes a huge difference in that category. I’ll keep doing what I’m doing and hopefully we’ll get more victories before that time comes and we’ll see what happens.”
Lee took over the team lead last night in scoring, at 18.8 points. He’s averaging 10.8 rebounds with a 58.2 shooting percentage. It’s All-Star numbers for sure on a team in the playoff hunt.
Ironically, the Pistons (11-20), who lost their eighth straight, had plenty of cap space to sign Lee this summer when he was a restricted free agent and instead wasted it on Charlie Villanueva and oft-injured Ben Gordon. Villanueva was scoreless last night — 0-for-4.
“It would mean a lot because we haven’t had an All-Star in New York in a while,” Lee said. “I think it would symbolize how things are turning around here, how the franchise is heading in the right direction. It would be positive for the city and the Knicks.”
Lee said he never received a phone call from the Pistons last July. Detroit’s been racked with injuries and had its big three, Gordon, Richard Hamilton (an abominable 5 of 21) and Tayshaun Prince together last night for just the third time.
“They were looking for something different — a big who can step up and shoot the three like Villanueva, and looking for a guard like Gordon,” Lee said.
Wilson Chandler also had a sweet game with 23 points, hitting jumpers and dunking on alley-oops off backdoor cuts. Danilo Gallinari hit two big treys in the fourth quarter to keep Detroit at bay and finished with 16. He was 4 of 9 from 3-point range. The Knicks jumped to an early 19-7 lead and held their 11th straight opponent to under 100 points.
But it all begins with Lee. He will be a free agent again this summer after signing a one-year deal, and could become the Knicks’ first all-star since Allan Houston and Latrell Sprewell in 2001.
“He’s really getting a lot of confidence in his outside shot,” said D’Antoni, who said Monday Lee was playing at an All-Star level. “He’s not hesitating. They lay off him, he knocks it down. They get out on him, he drives around him. He makes it simple.”
“Feeling confidence shooting the jump shot helps a lot,” Lee said. “It opens up the floor for everybody. It makes everything easier for our team. I don’t know if my jumper has gotten better, but I have more confidence in it and I’m shooting many more of them.”
⇒ Nate Robinson was a DNP for the 13th straight game. While the Players Association will appeal Nate Robinson’s $25,000 fine, agent Aaron Goodwin Twittered yesterday: “The fine has no basis and is unfair. Nate has NEVER made comments detrimental to the NBA nor has he ever requested a trade or instructed his agents to request a trade.”