The New York Knicks jumped out to a 1-0 series lead over the Detroit Pistons, winning the opening game 123-112. Despite entering the fourth quarter with an eight-point lead, the Pistons struggled down the stretch and were outscored by 19 points in the final period, with their youth being put on display and the home Madison Square Garden crowd loving every second of it.
These hard-nosed teams are back in action tonight for the second matchup of the series. The stakes will be large, as historically 92.6% of the teams that leap out to a 2-0 series lead end up advancing. Tonight’s game will also be played in New York with the Knicks entering as 6.5-point favorites on DraftKings Sportsbook. Detroit holds +210 on the Moneyline with the game total set at 220.
With another physical playoff battle on the way, here are my top player prop bets for the Game 2 matchup.
Cade Cunningham Over 14.5 Assists & Rebounds (-135)
It was far from an ideal NBA playoff debut for Cade Cunningham. The Pistons’ star finished with 21 points, 12 assists, and six rebounds, but it took a strong second-half effort to get there. Cunningham was limited to six points in the first half on 3-for-10 shooting and was bothered by OG Anunoby throughout. Even still, he managed to produce 18 combined assists and rebounds and has a clear pathway to replicating this performance.
While Cunningham has taken the All-Star leap this season, there are still some doubts about the supporting cast surrounding him. Expect New York to continue selling out to prevent his shot attempts and be comfortable taking their chances with the rest of the roster. This puts more responsibility on Cunningham as a playmaker, and he delivered with 12 assists in the series opener. Across the regular season, Cunningham averaged 9.1 assists and 6.1 rebounds per game.
In addition, Isaiah Stewart is listed as questionable for the Pistons with knee inflammation. The big man will surely be out there if at all possible, but his status is important to note. If Stewart is to miss or be limited, this puts some significant pressure on Jalen Duren to avoid foul trouble with his 4.4 fouls per 36 minutes, not the best sign in regards to this. Cunningham is capable of scaling up as a rebounder and utilizing his 6-foot-6 frame. Expect him to be asked to chip in more on the boards tonight and continue stepping up as a playmaker as the Detroit star records over 14.5 combined assists and rebounds tonight.
OG Anunoby Over 16.5 Points (-125)
OG Anunoby has taken an offensive leap this season that he has not gotten enough credit for. Once viewed as a defensive specialist, Anunoby has gradually added layers to his offensive game and has played like an All-Star caliber wing in the second half of the season.
On the year overall, Anunoby averaged a career-high 18.0 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game. Since the All-Star break, he has averaged 21.2 points per game, and he kicked off this playoff run with a 23-point performance on Saturday. He closed the season having recorded over 16.5 points in 10 of his past 12 games.
With so much defensive attention given to Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns, expect Anunoby to continue seeing opportunities to assert himself offensively. There are only so many things you can take away from a team on this side of the floor and Anunoby will continue making the most of his chances. Look for him to continue playing with confidence and use his physicality to attack the basket while capitalizing on open shots as a result of the defense on the Knicks’ stars. 16.5 points is too low a bar based on his recent stretch of play, and expect Anunoby to continue to be counted on during this playoff run. This improved level of play looks to be here to stay for the 27-year-old, so look for him to deliver in Game 2.
Dennis Schroder to Record 15+ Points & Assists (+130)
The biggest concern with this Pistons team is the limitations in the number of true offensive creators they have. Cade Cunningham has proven himself, and New York will continue making sure he does not have the freedom to put his fingerprints all over this game. Enter Dennis Schroder, who should be expected to become a more prominent name in this series moving forward. The journeyman guard has his flaws, but is a competent ball handler who can make plays for others and score in bunches.
Schroder played 26 minutes in the opening game and was limited to eight points and three assists. He shot 3-for-8 from the field and also split his free throw attempts. It was a whirlwind season for the 31-year-old as he spent time with three different teams. He was putting up nearly career-best numbers with the Nets to start the season before he was traded to the Warriors and then eventually the Pistons. He played 23 games for Brooklyn, 24 for Golden State, and 28 for Detroit this year.
Overall, he averaged 13.1 points and 5.4 assists per game on the season and 10.8 points with 5.3 assists per game across his time with the Pistons. Schroder recorded 15+ combined points and assists in 15 of his 28 games played with the Pistons, including 13 of the final 19 games of the season. Cunningham had some success in the second half of the first game and should see some additional double teams and traps in this matchup as a result. Expect this to further increase the need for Schroder in the lineup and for him to produce the way he has during the regular season. Schroder has 69 games of playoff experience under his belt and will not be rattled by the moment. Count on Schroder being a big part of the Pistons’ production and take advantage of the +130 odds on DraftKings Sportsbook.
