The dust has settled on the NBA trade deadline – sort of – and the on-court action continues with an Eastern Conference showdown between the New York Knicks and Detroit Pistons on Friday night in Detroit. This is definitely a possible preview of the conference finals; Detroit tops the East at 37-13, while New York isn’t far behind with a 33-18 record.
Let’s dive into my Knicks vs. Pistons predictions dive.
New York Knicks vs. Detroit Pistons Lakers Odds
Moneyline: Knicks -114 / Pistons -104
Spread: Knicks +1 (-112) / Pistons -1 (-108)
Total: More than 224.5 (-110) / Less than 224.5 (-110)
New York Knicks vs. Detroit Pistons Best Bet No. 1: Pistons -1 (-108)
There’s no need to be too concerned as this is the second leg of a back-to-back situation for the Pistons. Thursday’s game against Washington was virtually a no-contest. Detroit fell behind big time from the start and never made much of an effort to get back into it. Only two players on the Pistons roster logged more than 30 minutes and Cade Cunningham (38) was the only player with more than 33 minutes. Additionally, Detroit is 6-1 so far in the second legs of back-to-backs in 2025-2026. Considering the clunker that was the Pistons’ 126-117 loss to the lowly Wizards, they should be inspired to make up for it in front of the home crowd.
Playing at home could be a key factor on Friday. Detroit is 20-5 at Little Caesars Arena this season. Meanwhile, New York is just 11-12 on the road, compared to 21-6 at Madison Square Garden. Cade Cunningham has scored 29 points or more in two straight games and in three of the last four. Defensive back Duncan Robinson is 12-for-24 from three in the past two games for Detroit. For New York, Karl-Anthony Towns (eye injury) and Josh Hart (ankle) are questionable.
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