Half of Ewing Not Enough for the Knicks : Eastern Conference: Pistons take 3-1 edge with 102-90 victory. New York’s foul-plagued center has 30 points after playing six minutes in first half.

The New York Knicks didn’t get a point from Patrick Ewing in the first half Sunday, and he scored 30 in the second.

Both ways, the Detroit Pistons came out a winner, outscoring the Knicks in every quarter for a 102-90 victory and a three-games-to-one lead in their NBA playoff series.

The Pistons took the lead for good in the first half when Ewing played six minutes and took only one shot because of foul trouble.

Ewing played the entire second half, scoring 12 points in the third quarter and 18 in the fourth. Despite a Knick rally that cut a 15-point deficit to five in the final minutes, Detroit still outscored New York in the final period.

“There’s no use crying over spilled milk, but it might have been a different game if I had played the first half,” said Ewing, who scored 45 points in Saturday’s victory over the Pistons. “They were double-teaming me, which they haven’t done all season. I guess they didn’t want me to get 45 points.”

Said Piston forward Dennis Rodman, who had 14 points and 14 rebounds: “We couldn’t take anything for granted when Ewing went out of the game because the Knicks had proved they are a scrappy team without him.

“In the second half, we played Pistons basketball, trying not to give them anything.”

Piston Coach Chuck Daly said, “Our job isn’t done yet. You’ve got to get four, and it’s going to be a hard thing to get. The Knicks are going to come at us again so they can bring it back home.”

Detroit can wrap up the series in Game 5 at the Palace at Auburn Hills, Mich., Tuesday night.

Ewing and Knick Coach Stu Jackson were upset by the officiating. “All we want, all we ask for, is consistency,” Jackson said. “We get one offensive foul on screens in the first three games, then three offensive fouls on screens in the first half today. And we didn’t get any the other way.

“It’s impossible for me to coach with Patrick playing only six minutes in the first half.”

Added Ewing: “Every time I came down they would hold me, then I’d fall back and they’d call a personal foul. It’s got to be called the same on both ends of the floor.

“I didn’t do anything to warrant that third foul.”

Detroitforced the Knicks into missing 16 of their first 21 shots in the second half.

The Pistons, who were led by James Edwards with 19 points, took the lead for good in the second quarter, led by nine at halftime and opened a 59-45 advantage in the third period.

Ewing and Charles Oakley, who finished with 18 points and 14 rebounds, helped the Knicks cut the deficit to 65-58 before the Pistons opened their largest lead, 78-63, with 9:25 left in the game.

Ewing then scored 12 points in less than five minutes, helping New York close to 87-82 with 3:39 left. But a jumper by Edwards and two free throws by Joe Dumars ended the threat.