All eyes of the NBA world will be on the Eastern Conference battle between the New York Knicks and Detroit Pistons. These teams have sat as the top two seeds in the conference from just about wire-to-wire, and have the added history of last year’s postseason battle.
The Knicks got the better of Detroit last season, eliminating them in the first round of the playoffs in six games. Both organizations took some steps to further solidify themselves as legitimate contenders, and will see how they stack up against each other tonight.
Looking at the odds, the Knicks enter as narrow 1.5-point favorites and hold -115 odds on the moneyline on DraftKings Sportsbook. The Pistons hold -105 odds of winning outright with the game total set at 232.5 points.
This article will look at a preview and prediction for the Monday night matchup.
Knicks vs. Pistons Preview
The New York Knicks are 23-12 on the year and remain in second place in the Eastern Conference. They are looking to bounce back from three consecutive losses at the hands of the Spurs, Hawks, and Sixers. This marks the second time this season they have dropped three straight games, and Josh Hart and Landry Shamet remain sidelined for tonight. Overall, the Knicks are 19-17 against the spread this season, and the game total has gone over in 21 of their 36 games.
The Knicks are averaging 120.5 points per game, which is the fourth-best scoring total in the NBA. They rank fourth in offensive rating, 14th in field goal percentage, fourth in three-point percentage, fourth in rebounds per game, and 22nd in pace. Opponents are scoring 115.0 points per game against New York, which ranks 12th in the league. The Knicks rank 16th in defensive rating, 12th in opponents’ field goal percentage, and 23rd in opponents’ three-point percentage.
Jalen Brunson headlines the team’s production with 29.3 points and 6.5 assists, while shooting 38% from beyond the three-point arc. Karl-Anthony Towns adds 22.0 points and 11.8 rebounds, while Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby have each had some nice flashes in the new Mike Brown system. Whether it is newfound depth or just more willingness to lean on these options with the new coaching regime, the Knicks have gotten strong production from the bench all season. Miles McBride, Mitchell Robinson, Tyler Kolek, and Jordan Clarkson have each had some really positive flashes.
The Detroit Pistons are off to a 26-9 start to the season and remain at the top of the Eastern Conference. They also have hit some bumps in the road, dropping three of their past five games, and will be looking to carry the momentum of the previous win over the Cavaliers. Detroit has gone 19-16 against the spread, and the game total is 17-17-1 this season.
Cade Cunningham and Duncan Robinson are each listed as probable for tonight’s game. The Pistons will be without Jalen Duren due to an ankle sprain and Tobias Harris due to a hip injury, while Caris LeVert is doubtful due to continued knee problems. Cunningham headlines the production for the team, posting averages of 26.7 points, 9.6 assists, and 6.3 rebounds per game. Robinson has been the team’s primary floor-spacer, attempting 7.2 three-point attempts per game and connecting at a 38% rate. Ausar Thompson, Isaiah Stewart, Ron Holland, and Jaden Ivey each also play a notable role in their rotation.
As a team, the Pistons are producing 118.8 points per game, which ranks 11th in the league. They are producing the ninth-best offensive rating, rank ninth in team field-goal percentage, 20th in three-point percentage, and 10th in pace. Defensively, opponents are scoring the fifth-fewest points per game at 112.7 points per game. They rank second in defensive rating, second in opponents’ field goal percentage, seventh in opponents’ three-point percentage, and force the second-most turnovers in the league.
Knicks vs. Pistons Prediction, Best Bet
This very well could be a playoff preview with both of these teams making a solid case for why they are legitimate threats in the East. But this is a spot where I like the Pistons’ outlook much more, and am backing them to get the win.
New York has dropped three consecutive games in concerning fashion entering this game. They held an 11-point lead with eight minutes left in the fourth quarter against the Spurs before being outscored 35-22 over this final stretch. New York was then blown out by the Hawks the following night, with Atlanta leading for 83% of the matchup and pushing the lead to as many as 26. Most recently, the Philadelphia 76ers were able to keep them at an arm’s length throughout, winning by 11 points in a matchup the Sixers led for 80% of the time and pushed the lead to as many as 19. It is not time to panic on their full outlook, but it is clear they are not playing the most optimized version of themself and Josh Hart has been greatly missed on the floor.
The Pistons got back in the win column yesterday by defeating the Cavaliers 114-110. This will mark the second night of a back-to-back, but Detroit has surely had this matchup circled on their calendar for months and will be prepared to bring their best effort. Expect Duncan Robinson to be a factor as the Pistons look to attack the Knicks’ 25th-ranked opponents’ three-point attempts allowed and 23rd-ranked opponents’ three-point efficiency.
While the phrase “This is their Super Bowl” gets thrown around too often, this is a matchup that feels like it means far more to the Pistons than the Knicks. They took a massive leap forward as a franchise last year and have further built off this to sit at the top of the East. Beating teams like the Knicks can go a long way to solidifying their outlook as a true contender, and they will look to do exactly this tonight. Detroit has found an identity with its hard-nosed, defensive-minded style of play and a toughness that few teams can match. While the Knicks are similarly constructed overall, they have not played with this level of toughness of late. Expect the Pistons to be ready to compete on both sides of the ball and play with a toughness the Knicks are not braced for. New York is in a bit of a rut, and this is not the type of matchup that will make the outlook easy to climb out of. Expect things to get worse before they get better in New York, and for the Pistons to pick up a statement win tonight to continue solidifying their outlook.
