Madison Square Garden showcases an Eastern Conference matchup on Thursday evening. The New York Knicks welcome the Detroit Pistons to town for a prime time clash, with the Knicks entering at 10-7 this season. New York is also 5-3 at home, and Detroit is looking to stop the bleeding as the Pistons arrive on an active 15-game losing streak. It is the longest mark in team history, and Detroit is 1-8 on the road this season.
For this game, SportsLine consensus lists the Knicks as 14.5-point favorites, and tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET. The total number of points Vegas thinks will be scored, or the over/under, is 218.5 in the latest Pistons vs. Knicks odds. Before you make any Knicks vs. Pistons picks, you'll want to see the NBA predictions from SportsLine's proven computer model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks over the past five-plus seasons. The model enters Week 6 of the 2023-24 NBA season on an 86-50 roll on all top-rated NBA picks dating back to last season, returning more than $3,000. Anyone following it has seen huge returns.
The model has set its sights on Pistons vs. Knicks and locked in its NBA predictions. You can head to SportsLine to see its picks. Here are several NBA odds and betting lines for Knicks vs. Pistons:
- Pistons vs. Knicks spread: Knicks -14.5
- Pistons vs. Knicks over/under: 218.5 points
- Pistons vs. Knicks money line: Knicks -1054, Pistons +675
- DET: The Pistons are 9-9 against the spread in the last 18 games with no rest
- NYK: The Knicks are 4-3-1 against the spread at home this season
- Pistons vs. Knicks picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why the Pistons can cover
Detroit's defense has been pesky this season. The Pistons are in the top five of the NBA in 3-pointers allowed and blocked shots, and Detroit is one of the league's best defensive rebounding teams. That includes top-10 marks in defensive rebound rate and second-chance points allowed, and the Pistons are above-average in 2-point defense and assists allowed. Detroit is also facing a New York offense that has glaring weaknesses. The Knicks are dead-last in the NBA in 2-point shooting (48.7%) this season, and New York is in the bottom five in field goal percentage (44.1%), free throw percentage (73.5%), and assists (22.5 per game).
On offense, Detroit uses its physicality on the offensive glass, grabbing 32% of available offensive rebounds. The Pistons are also in the top 10 of the league in assists, averaging more than 26 per game, and Detroit is making more than 80% of free throw attempts. See which team to pick here.
Why the Knicks can cover
This matchup takes place at Madison Square Garden, where the Knicks have a +9.4 net rating this season. New York is also led by two standouts in Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle. Brunson is averaging 26.3 points and 6.3 assists per game in his last eight appearances, improving to 24.1 PPG this season. Brunson is also shooting almost 47% from 3-point range, and Randle is red-hot in recent days. Randle has scored 21 points or more in 10 of the last 11 games, and he is producing 19.9 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 5.2 assists. On offense, the Knicks rank in the top five in offensive rebound rate (34.5%), second-chance points (16.4 per game), and turnovers (13.1 per game).
On defense, New York is in the top five of the league in overall efficiency, yielding only 108.7 points per 100 possessions. The Knicks are leading the NBA in defensive rebound rate (75.6%) and second-chance points (10.8 per game), and New York has elite metrics in free throw attempts allowed (19.1 per game), points allowed in the paint (43.1 per game), and assists allowed (24.2 per game). See which team to pick here.
How to make Pistons vs. Knicks picks
The model has simulated Knicks vs. Pistons 10,000 times and is leaning Under the total, projecting 210 combined points. It also says one side of the spread hits well over 50% of the time. You can only see the picks at SportsLine.
Who wins Knicks vs. Pistons, and which side of the spread hits well over 50% of the time? Visit SportsLine now to see the picks, all from the model that is on an 86-50 roll on top-rated NBA picks, and find out.
