Van Gundy: NBA aided Knicks with easy sked

DETROIT — Outspoken Pistons coach/president Stan Van Gundy needled the NBA for presenting the Knicks a home-dominant schedule to start this season, hinting it was not coincidental.

Van Gundy has made prior comments the NBA seems to want to have marquee franchises like the Knicks and Lakers fare well.

This time, Van Gundy used the Knicks’ early schedule as an example. The Knicks have played eight more home games than road games, and their home record is tied for best in the Eastern Conference at 15-5, resulting in their 17-15 start, despite a 2-10 road ledger following a 104-101 loss to the Pistons on Friday.

“Twenty at home and 11 on the road,’’ Van Gundy, the brother of former Knicks coach Jeff Van Gundy, said before the game. “A cynical person — which I’m not — would say the league tried to help them and build some confidence at the beginning of the year by giving them a lot of home games and giving them a chance to get going. and pick up some confidence. That’s what a cynical person would say. Not me. It’s just by chance they got so many home games early on.”

Asked if the Knicks look like a different club on the road, Van Gundy quipped, “I don’t know. I haven’t seen them on the road much.”

The Pistons have played just 15 home games to 17 on the road. Van Gundy said the sightlines and rims in Little Caesars Arena, their new downtown home, haven’t affected them as they are 10-5 there.

Michael Beasley on Friday compared himself to Russell Westbrook and LeBron James, but only in handedness. He said James and Westbrook are both left-handed off the court, righties on the court, making all three ambidextrous.

Beasley is all left-handed on the court — shooting, dribbling, passing — but does a lot with his right hand off the court, including writing. Because there are so few, lefties give defenses a different look but Beasley’s ability to drive in each direction makes him particularly tough.

“I don’t think lefty makes a difference,’’ Knicks coach Jeff Hornacek said. “He’s smart on whether to drive left or drive right. He takes what the defense gives him. If they force him to the left hand, he knows what to do with it. Setting up a team it’s nice to have left-handers as you can work both side and have strong hands from the wing.’’